Rise in leopard attacks due to public disregard for safety

A worrying surge in the human-leopard conflict in the Junnar region of Pune district has been attributed largely to the public's disregard for safety advisories issued by forest officials.

- Siddharth Gadkari

NE: Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) commissioner Yogesh Kase on Thursday announced that criminal charges will be filed against individuals or groups obstructing the ongoing drive to remove illegal hoardings.

An ongoing survey by PMRDA has revealed a staggering 967 unauthorised hoardings within its jurisdiction.

So far, the anti-encroachment department has removed around 90 of these in the last five months.

"Take swift action, particularly against hoardings that obstruct traffic or pose a threat to public safety," said Mhase during a meeting with civic officials. He instructed that a more aggressive crackdown begin on May 26.

"If any incident of injury, fatality, or property damage occurs due to unauthorised hoardings, both the property owner and the advertising agency responsible will face criminal charges. In line with this, two FIRs have already been registered — one each in Sanaswadi and Bhukum," he said.

Additional metropolitan commissioner Deepak Singla, vigilance officer and police superintendent Amol Tambe, director of town planning Sunil Parale, chief fire officer Deven-dra Potphode, and deputy commissioners Deepti Suryawanshi and Shweta Patil, among others, were present at the meeting.