- By Akansha Pandey
- Fri, 03 Oct 2025 02:32 PM (IST)
- Source:Jagran News Network
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, inaugurating Wildlife Week at Dehradun Zoo on Friday, announced a significant increase in the financial assistance for loss of human life in wild animal attacks, raising it to Rs 10 lakh.
The Chief Minister emphasised that wildlife is an integral part of India's faith and culture, citing examples from Sanatan tradition where deities are associated with animals, conveying a message of co-existence. "This is why wildlife conservation has been a natural part of India's way of life since ancient times," he said.
He highlighted Uttarakhand's strong environmental commitment, noting that 14.77 per cent of the state's land is protected in the form of 6 national parks, 7 wildlife sanctuaries, and 4 conservation reserves. This figure is nearly three times the national average of just 5.27 per cent.
Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dhami said the state is working to balance economy, ecology, and technology to conserve natural resources alongside development.
Key Initiatives And Future Plans
While celebrating the encouraging increase in the populations of rare animals like tigers, leopards, elephants, and snow leopards, the Chief Minister acknowledged the growing challenge of human-wildlife conflict. He outlined several measures to address this:
Modern Technology: The Forest Department is being equipped with technical facilities like drones and GPS for more effective monitoring and protection of wildlife.
Eco-Tourism: The Forest Department has been instructed to identify and develop at least one new tourist destination in every district, preserving its natural form.
Youth Engagement: The 'CM Young Eco-preneurs' scheme is training 100,000 young people in skills such as nature guiding, drone piloting, and wildlife photography to create green enterprises. Educational trips for students are also being organized through eco-clubs.
Public Appeal: Citing PM Modi's 'Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE)' mantra, the Chief Minister appealed to all tourists to refrain from littering in forests and at religious sites.
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Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal, who was also present, reiterated that it is everyone's responsibility to save forests and wildlife. The event was attended by Agriculture Minister Ganesh Joshi, Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal, and other senior officials.
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