Chief Minister Directs Stronger Measures to Curb Human–Wildlife Conflict in Uttarakhand
Protecting human lives, property, and wildlife is the government’s top priority: CM Dhami
Dehradun — Expressing serious concern over the rising incidents of human–wildlife conflict in Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday directed officials to intensify preventive and mitigation measures across sensitive regions of the state. The directions were issued during the 22nd meeting of the Uttarakhand State Wildlife Board, held at the Secretariat under the Chief Minister’s chairmanship.
The Chief Minister emphasized that enhanced vigilance must be ensured in areas prone to encounters with bears, leopards, tigers, and elephants. He instructed the Forest Department and district administrations to establish a robust joint monitoring mechanism, ensuring seamless coordination at the ground level.
Highlighting the need for proactive prevention, CM Dhami directed that regular patrolling, digital surveillance systems, and early warning mechanisms be kept fully functional in all vulnerable zones. He mandated the installation of solar fencing, bio-fencing, honeybee fencing, watchtowers, and other protective infrastructure in affected villages. Alongside this, awareness camps should be organized to educate local communities about safety and vigilance, while Quick Response Teams (QRTs) must remain operational round the clock.
The Chief Minister further underscored the importance of conserving all wildlife corridors in the state, including elephant and tiger corridors. He instructed officials to ensure the effective construction of animal passes, underpasses, and overpasses along traditional wildlife movement routes. If amendments to existing wildlife conservation rules are required, the concerned department was asked to conduct a prompt review and submit proposals to the government without delay.
At the district level, the Chief Minister directed that Wildlife Coordination Committees chaired by District Magistrates remain active and functional. He ordered immediate completion of hotspot mapping in sensitive districts, blocks, and villages. Special security arrangements were also mandated around schools, Anganwadi centers, water sources, and pedestrian pathways. Stressing environmental discipline, CM Dhami instructed strict implementation of solid waste management in rural areas to prevent bears and other wildlife from being attracted to human settlements.
To further strengthen eco-tourism, the Chief Minister said that development efforts should extend beyond Reserve Forests to include Wildlife Sanctuaries and Conservation Reserve areas. He also announced that veterinary doctors would be deployed in Territorial Forest Divisions to help mitigate human–wildlife conflict and enhance public safety.
During the meeting, the State Wildlife Board approved nine proposals related to forest land transfer. These included four diverse drinking water schemes and two drinking water schemes within the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary in Rudraprayag district, two motor road projects linked to the Rajaji National Park area, and one optical fiber project under the Ramnagar Forest Division. Additionally, 22 proposals concerning minor mineral extraction within a 10-kilometer radius of protected areas were decided to be referred to the National Wildlife Board for consideration.
Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal stated that the decisions taken during the meeting represent a comprehensive and forward-looking approach to balancing wildlife conservation with human safety, significantly strengthening Uttarakhand’s wildlife management framework.
Providing an update on the implementation of decisions from the 21st State Wildlife Board meeting, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Ranjan Kumar Mishra informed that the Standing Committee of the National Wildlife Board has approved several key projects. These include the redevelopment of Chaurasi Kutiya, the first phase of reconstruction work for disaster damage at the Mansa Devi Temple and its access road, the Rishikesh–Neelkanth Mahadev ropeway project, and the special renovation of the Laldhang–Chillarkhal forest motor road.
He further stated that Wildlife Management Plans for 56 forest land transfer proposals have been approved for the period from July 2025 to December 2025, while No Objection Certificates have been issued for 29 proposals. The ex-gratia compensation for human deaths caused by wildlife has been increased from ₹6 lakh to ₹10 lakh. A total of 93 Quick Response Teams have been constituted across 32 forest divisions to ensure swift action in conflict situations. Approval has also been granted to forward proposals to the Central Zoo Authority for establishing wildlife rescue centers in Pithoragarh, Champawat, and Rudraprayag districts.
The meeting was attended by State Wildlife Board members including MLAs Diwan Singh Bisht, Suresh Singh Chauhan, and Banshidhar Bhagat, along with Principal Secretary (Forest) R.K. Sudhanshu, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Ranjan Kumar Mishra, Director General of Police Deepam Seth, and senior officials from the Forest Department.
