142 peacock deaths in 3 years, forest dept pleads helplessness

The callous attitude of the forest department has claimed 142 peacocks in the Nainwa sub division of Bundi district in the last three years.

The callous attitude of the forest department has claimed 142 peacocks in the Nainwa sub division of Bundi district in the last three years.

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Though the forest department has registered six cases and arrested twelve persons in this connection, there is no concrete plan to protect the national bird.

Forest officials say they need people’s cooperation to stop such killings.

Peacock has been included in the schedule first of the wildlife.

Wildlife enthusiast and general secretary of People For Animals Vitthal Sandhyaya says: “Most of the peacock deaths were reported due to the cooperation and alertness of the villagers. Statistics reveal that people from Mogya community and Kanjars are the ones who mostly kill peacocks.”

To save the peacocks, the panch of the community recently announced a fine of Rs 21,000 on the accused and also threatened to throw the guilty out from the society. An award has also been announced for informing about any such incidents.

But Sandhyaya says: “There are many loopholes in the management and monitoring of birds.”

Singh said the poachers even spray insecticide on the grains to kill the birds. There are reports the poachers come from nearby Sawaimadhopur and Tonk areas, he said.

To tackle the problem, the district police have constituted a special team to aid the forest officials to curb the killing of peacocks. ACF Jairam Pandey says: “We are making all efforts to stop the killing of the birds.” However, despite their efforts, the killings have not stopped.