Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited Bahraich district on Sunday (September 15) and met with the families affected by recent wolf attacks. During his visit to Sisaiya Churaman village, he interacted with family members of the victims and conducted an aerial survey to assess the areas affected by the persistent wolf attack threat.
UP CM addresses wolf attack threat
Addressing a public gathering during his visit, CM Adityanath reviewed the situation in the region and informed the public about the state government's ongoing efforts to curb the crisis like situation.
He said, "Some children have died due to the terror of wolves over the last two months, and others have been injured. When I was first informed about this, I immediately instructed the administration to launch a campaign."
"In the span of two months, over eight human lives were lost in an area of 20 to 25 km. In the rescue operations conducted so far, five wolves have been captured, but one is still on the loose. The forest department team is here, and their priority is to rescue the wolf. If it poses a threat to human life, they have orders to shoot it, but that is a last resort," the CM added.
Flooding likely displaced wolves from their natural habitats
Significantly, the Chief Minister during the public address, also addressed the potential causes of the increased animal-human conflict in the region, noting that seasonal changes and flooding likely displaced the wolves from their natural habitats. "In sensitive areas, such conflicts often arise when water floods the habitats of wild animals, forcing them into human settlements in search of prey. This is where attacks are most likely to occur," he explained.
He also recalled that in July, when the Saryu River overflowed, a wolf preyed on a one-year-old child. The attacks have not been concentrated in one village but have occurred in different villages with a 4-5 day gap between incidents. The most recent attack took place on September 1, and there have been no reports of wolf attacks since then.
Yogi Adityanath assures government's complete support
Further, the CM also praised the cooperation between the forest department and local representatives in handling the situation. He said the victims' families were assured of ₹5 lakh in compensation, while those injured have been given rabies vaccines as a precautionary measure against the disease.
READ MORE | Yogi Adityanath says Gyanvapi Mosque is actually 'Lord Shiva temple', courts controversy
READ MORE | UP: Yogi govt effects major administrative reshuffle, transfers 29 IAS officers, Lucknow gets new DM
