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Junnar leopard safari: Ajit Pawar instructs forest officers to prepare detailed project report, sanctions ₹1.5 crore
Animal experts said the proposed leopard safari project in Junnar is to attract wildlife enthusiasts
PUNE Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has instructed the forest officers to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for the leopard safari which is planned at Junnar tehsil in the Pune district.
Animal experts and officials said the proposed leopard safari project in Junnar is to attract wildlife enthusiasts, and it will be more beneficial for the caged leopards.
Currently, Manikdoh leopard rescue centre in Junnar is taking care of at least 30 leopards and the government plans to shift some of them to the centre where the safari is coming up. The centre was expanded a few years ago, and animals get a chance to roam freely on 500 square hectares.
Manikdoh is one of India’s largest leopard care centres and is handled by an NGO - Wildlife SOS, along with the government of Maharashtra since 2007.
According to range forest officer (RFO) Ajit Shinde, Junnar, the land for the leopard safari is almost confirmed at Ambegavan and waiting for the DPR which will be made soon after the state finalises the area for safari.
“The safari will be a small enclosure which will have seven to ten rescued leopards for visitors to see. Pawar has sanctioned ₹1.5 crore for the DPR upon which work will begin,” said Shinde.
On Saturday, Pawar visited the leopard rehabilitation centre at Manikdoh. He inaugurated the multispeciality hospital which is only dedicated to wildlife animals.
Pawar and forest officers claimed that this multispeciality hospital is state of art and rare in the state and country for wildlife animals.
Pawar said, “Maharashtra government had already made the budgetary provision for leopard safari in the budget. The leopard safari is proposed in the Pune district. By considering that the forest department and district administration need to prepare detail plan for same immediately.”
Pawar instructed the district administration to allot Rs1.5 crore immediately for the preparation of DPR for the leopard safari.
Pawar said that the leopard numbers are increasing. Mainly they are staying in sugarcane fields. Pawar said that the leopard safari would also help generate jobs for locals.
