VIJAYAWADA: Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Forests K Pawan Kalyan on Friday reviewed the situation arising from the movement of a tiger in forest areas bordering Polavaram district and directed officials to maintain continuous surveillance to prevent any threat to human life and livestock.
The review meeting was held following a recent tiger attack on cattle sheds in Chikilintha panchayat limits near the forest border area, in which nine calves were killed.
During the review meeting, forest officials informed Pawan Kalyan that tiger movement had been detected in the Thimmapuram Reserve Forest and that the animal was moving close to nearby villages. Officials explained that the tiger attacked cattle kept in an oil palm plantation located barely 300 metres from the forest boundary.
Expressing concern over the incident, Pawan Kalyan instructed forest officials and field staff to remain on constant alert and ensure that people living in nearby villages receive timely updates on tiger movement. He directed authorities to strengthen monitoring systems with the help of advanced technology and field-level surveillance.
Senior forest officials have been deployed for ground-level supervision, while ‘Hanuman’ rescue and response teams have been asked to maintain round-the-clock vigilance in forest border villages. Pawan Kalyan also suggested deploying additional Hanuman teams if required.
Pawan Kalyan said the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) should personally monitor the entire operation and that senior officers from the forest department headquarters should be sent to the spot for direct supervision in case of an emergency.
He stressed that all measures should strictly follow wildlife conservation guidelines while ensuring public safety.
Pawan Kalyan also instructed officials to organise awareness camps in villages located near forest areas. Residents are being advised not to venture into forests unnecessarily, and farmers have been cautioned against tying cattle too close to forest boundaries or leaving livestock unattended.