Gopeshwar, Nov 12 (PTI) Raising slogans against the government and Forest Department over repeated bear attacks and destruction of livestock, hundreds of villagers in Chamoli’s Pokhari tehsil on Thursday staged a massive ‘jan-aakrosh’ (public outrage) rally and suspended their 11-day hunger strike after officials assured them of steps to address the menace.
The protesters demanded an amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act, adequate compensation for losses and measures to protect residents from attacks by bears and other wild animals.
Farmers, villagers and local public representatives took out a procession from Gol Market near the Pokhari bus stand to Vinayakdhar tower, raising slogans such as “Save us!” and “Amend the Wildlife Protection Act”.
The rally, held in protest against the government, administration and Forest Department, culminated in a public meeting at Vinayakdhar junction.
The agitation had begun on November 2, with villagers staging an indefinite, phased hunger strike at the Pokhari tehsil headquarters. On Thursday, the 11th day of the protest, the agitators agreed to suspend it for 10 days following assurances from Rajan Suman, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Kedarnath Wildlife Division.
Suman, who reached the protest site, assured the villagers, local traders and protesters that he would write to the state government seeking permission to cull aggressive bears in the affected villages.
He also promised to increase the number of cages and forest personnel deployed in the bear-affected areas, saying the cooperation of villagers would be sought for the campaign.
The DFO also said Rs 5 lakh had been sanctioned from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for a woman from Pav village who was injured in a bear attack a year ago.
Badrinath MLA Lakhpat Singh Butola joined the protest on Thursday and extended support to the villagers.
Addressing the public meeting, Butola alleged that the government and Forest Department were capturing bears and other wild animals from elsewhere and releasing them in the hills, effectively turning the region into a “zoo” and causing widespread damage to local life and agriculture.
He said the issue had been raised with the chief minister and in the Legislative Assembly, but the government had failed to take it seriously.
Butola demanded an immediate amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act to provide relief to hill residents from the “terror of bears and wild animals”. He also called for fair compensation for affected residents and an increase in the number of cages and Forest Department personnel in the bear-hit areas.
The protest follows a series of incidents involving wild animals in the region. On September 3, two women, who were sisters-in-law, died after falling from a cliff during a bear attack in Sideli village.
Since then, bear attacks and incidents of cattle sheds being damaged, resulting in livestock deaths, have continued in the region.
A total of 13 such incidents have been reported in villages including Kandai Chandrashila, Raduwa, Jaurasi, Kimotha, Dungar, Bagthal, Bhikona and Khanna, triggering widespread anger among residents. PTI COR SPY SPY NB
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