Chandrapur: A vehicle speeding on the newly-widened Chandrapur-Mul stretch of the National Highway claimed yet another sloth bear on Sunday night. This is the sixth road hit in this month on this stretch of road, which passes through buffer and eco-sensitive zone of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve.The news of the deaths has also reportedly reached the state government. PWD sources said a meeting was held 3-4 days ago in Mumbai to discuss the issue. “The PWD chief engineer is expected to visit these widened, and proposed to be expanded, road patches soon to see what can be done,” they said.PWD executive engineer Vivek Mishra, who is implementing the widening works, said forest officials have identified animal crossings and handed over the list. “We have asked the deputy engineer to examine these spots, and prepare a proposal to install rumble strips or some other measures,” said Mishra.The TOI had reported on April 23 how the road widening by PWD in and around Tadoba was posing a danger to wildlife, including by fragmenting the corridors from Tadoba to Navegaon, Karhandla and Kawal. A day later, Roadkills, a Citizen Science Initiative to collect data on mortality of wild animals on roads, had released data showing that at least 161 roadkills were recorded in 28 days on Chandrapur-Mul Road. This was also reported in the TOI.Until this situation is addressed, animals will continue to be in harms way. Sources said that the fresh carcass of a sloth bear hit by a speeding vehicle was discovered on Monday morning near Valni village in Chichpalli range. The adult female bear had died on the spot.Five animals have been hit on the Chandrapur-Mul stretch of highway this month. Three wild animals were killed on Mul-Sindewahi stretch in last few weeks. This stretch of road serves as a critical wildlife corridor. Forest officials, NGO representatives and officials of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) had conducted a joint survey on the road to identify vulnerable accident spots for wildlife on May 15.Taking cognisance of repeated road kills, DFO Chandrapur forest division Ashok Sonkusre had sent two letters in two days to NHAI. He has reminded them to install rumble strips or speed beakers at one kilometre intervals, and given 25 locations to build underpasses and chain-link fencing as agreed in the earlier meeting.Meanwhile, the leopardess injured last Monday by a speeding vehicle on Chandrapur-Mul Road in Lohara forest, and brought to Gorewada Rescue Centre at Nagpur, underwent an operation. Gorewada divisional manager Nandkishore Kale said the female leopard was operated on Sunday for hind leg fractures.“The team of expert doctors will take up another operation to treat fractures of front legs in a day or two. Though there were no external injures, its bones suffered serious damage,” he said.TOLL ON CHANDRAPUR-MUL-SINDEWAHI ROAD# Spotted deer killed near Lohara on May 5# Spotted deer injured near Lohara on May 13, rescued same day# Adult leopard injured near Lohara on May 14, rescued next day# Sub-adult bear killed near Keslaghat on May 20# Male spotted deer killed near Chetegaon on May 20# Adult female bear killed near Valni village on May 21

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