Suggestion to release goats in forest to curb leopard attacks laughable: Ajit Pawar
Nagpur (PTI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday made light of the state forest minister's suggestion to release goats into the forest to keep leopards away from human settlements, saying that apart from big cats, villagers will also feast on this prey base.
During an informal interaction with reporters here, Pawar said the idea appeared to have originated from the forest department.
"Instead of leopards, even villagers will feast on the goats released as prey," he said with a chuckle.
Maharashtra Forest Minister Ganesh Naik has suggested that forest officials release goats in large numbers in forests to stop leopards from entering human settlements in search of prey.
"If four people are killed in leopard attacks, the state must pay Rs 1 crore (as compensation). So I told officials, instead of paying compensation after deaths, release goats worth Rs 1 crore into the forest so leopards do not venture into human habitats," the minister had said.
When asked about the government's plans to tackle the rising incidents involving leopards, Pawar said leopards were breeding and living in certain pockets of Maharashtra, especially in sugarcane-growing regions.
He said the government had also made enquiries with Vantara zoo, which had conveyed that it could take only up to 50 leopards.
"I have heard there are nearly 2,000 leopards in Maharashtra. In such a situation, we need to think of other measures," Pawar added.
He said sterilisation could be an effective option, but its impact would be seen only over a long period, as even after sterilisation, leopards would continue to hunt for food.
Pawar said the government was working to enhance the capacity of existing rescue centres and set up new facilities to address the issue.
Ahilyanagar, Pune, and Nashik districts were reporting the highest number of leopard-related incidents, according to the state forest department.
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Maharashtra class 12 chemistry paper circulated on social media before exam, leak suspected
Nagpur (PTI): Police are investigating a suspected leak after the class 12 Chemistry question paper was allegedly circulated on social media in Nagpur ahead of the exam being conducted by the Maharashtra board, officials said on Saturday.
The exam malpractice came to light on Wednesday at a high school examination centre after a female student’s frequent visits to the washroom raised suspicion.
Invigilators seized the student's smartphone. Its analysis showed that the question paper had been shared on a WhatsApp group before the exam began, officials said, adding that possible answers were also exchanged in the same group.
Based on the student's statement, another pupil is being questioned.
The preliminary investigation suggests a person linked to a private coaching shared the question paper for money, officials said.
A case was registered at Sadar police station, and an investigation was launched.
