Jaipur: The growing incidence of leopard movement in residential areas of Jaipur resonated in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly on Thursday, as the issue was raised during the ongoing Budget Session, prompting the state government to announce the launch of a dedicated wildlife helpline and enhanced monitoring measures.
Raising the matter during Question Hour, BJP MLA Kalicharan Saraf expressed concern over frequent leopard sightings in populated localities of the state capital, noting that incidents were being reported almost daily and had created a climate of fear among residents.
He pointed out that despite recurring instances of human-wildlife conflict, Jaipur lacked a dedicated helpline for swift emergency response.
Responding to the concerns, Forest Minister Sanjay Sharma acknowledged the seriousness of the issue and announced that a wildlife helpline — 1926 — would be launched within a month. The helpline will enable citizens to report the movement of wildlife, including leopards, in residential areas, facilitating faster response and effective monitoring.
During a supplementary question, Saraf suggested adopting security protocols on the lines of Maharashtra, which is often cited as a model for managing urban wildlife movement.
Assuring the House, the Minister said that systems followed in Maharashtra and other states would be studied and a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) would be finalised and implemented within the current financial year.
Sharma informed the Assembly that leopard movement had been recorded multiple times in Jaipur over the past year.
According to official data, leopards were sighted on seven occasions in areas such as the MNIT campus, Civil Lines, Jagatpura, Gopalpura Puliya and adjoining localities.
Detailing preventive measures, the Minister said that on December 2, 2024, the Forest Department constituted two Quick Response Teams (QRTs), which are currently on 24-hour alert and conducting regular night patrols in sensitive zones. A trained wildlife tracker from Ranthambore has been deployed, while six local residents from the Jhalana-Amagarh belt have received specialised training to monitor leopard exit points from forest areas.
To curb wildlife movement towards human settlements, the department is developing a one-hectare enclosure within the forest with plans to introduce chital, and has created six new water holes. Surveillance has also been strengthened with the installation of 20 additional camera traps, taking the total to 60.
Forest officials said these measures are expected to significantly reduce leopard movement in residential areas and mitigate human-wildlife conflict in Jaipur.
(IANS)
