Kolhapur: MP Dhairyasheel Mane, speaking in the Parliament, demanded that a new act to protect humans be enacted in the wake of increasing leopard attacks.Mane, a member of parliament from the Hatkanangle Lok Sabha constituency, underlined that the routine life of the villagers in the vicinity of forest areas has been disrupted due to the rise in leopard attacks.Implementation of such a separate law, which may be called Human Protection Act, is a need of the hour, he said.Mane highlighted the surge in wildlife-human conflicts, particularly in Shirala and Shahuwadi talukas of the Kolhapur district in Maharashtra, which is surrounded by the Chandoli National Park (part of the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve).MP Dhairyasheel Mane said, “The increasing presence of wild animals like leopards and gaurs near human settlements has become a matter of concern. In particular, leopards are entering villages in large numbers and attacks on children are being seen. This has created an atmosphere of fear among the citizens. Furthermore, farming activities have also been affected at large. It has become difficult to go out at night and parents are facing serious concerns about the safety of their children.“The Indian constitution has the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, for the protection of several wildlife species, forests, and the whole ecosystem at large. However, there is no separate legal provision for the protection of human life. “Along with wildlife protection, it is necessary to give priority to human protection. In this context, concrete measures should be implemented to control the increasing movement of wild animals and a separate law should be seriously considered,” added Mane.
