Pilibhit: The Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court has accepted a public interest litigation filed by Lucknow-based three eminent wildlife enthusiasts, seeking the court’s direction for fencing of the core forest area of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary and ensure protection measure for tigers.The court has fixed the date of 23rd October in this case, directing the Union of India, the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the government of UP to file their response.The petition has been filed in the backdrop of rising man-tiger conflict in these areas, which has been described as an outcome of unprotected forest boundaries.One of the petitioners, Kaushalendra Singh, told TOI that the court has granted four weeks time to defendants to file their response.He said that the census of tigers conducted in the year 2005 had projected the presence of 273 tigers in forest regions of UP, which has dwindled to 117 in 2014’s.Singh said the shocking picture reflects rapid mitigation of tigers in the state, also because of the forest administration failure to curb the situation.The petitioner claimed that more than 25 villagers were killed in man tiger conflicts in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve in a span of two years, while a report revealed that as many as 282 tigers died of various reasons across the country since the year 2014.Referring to wildlife trust of India (WTI) report, Singh said the situation was swayed by poaching, massive human infiltration in forest regions, habitat loss and the consequent straying of tigers.“We feel that the only solution to all these problems as the chain-link fencing of forest peripheries which will effectively check tigers’ straying from wild as well as intrusion of humans including the poachers into the forest”, he said.“We have requested the court to also direct the state government to abridge different tiger reserves in contiguity like PTR, DTR and Katarnia Ghat wildlife sanctuary with a safe corridor to promote genetic diversity of tigers, their better survival and dispersal of their natural habitats”, he added.

Stay updated with all the Bareilly Lates News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.