Residents seek relief from fire, animal intrusions

Tribune News Service 

Haridwar, May 1

Local residents, perturbed at large-scale forest fires and intrusions by fleeing wild animals from forests into human habitats, staged a protest here today.

They urged Governor KK Paul to fix responsibility of the Forest Department, the Rajaji Tiger Reserve Park authority and the district administration in this regard. Residents living on the outskirts and in the foothills of the forest mountain terrain of Shivalik, Bilb and Reserve Park said they had been left on their own by the administration.

Activist JP Pandey said besides damage to forest wealth, wildlife and human life too were getting affected. However, the administration and the Forest Department were taking no measures.

Demanding compensation for the affected people, he said many of them had been forced to leave their households and take shelter in safer places.

“Agricultural loss due to forest fires and thereby animal intrusion into our agriculture fields has deeply affected our livelihood. The administration should instantly grant compensation to us and provide relief from animal intrusions,” said Meera Raturi, a statehood agitator.