Leopards now spotted in Chinnakurchi, forest officials blame encroachment behind man-animal conflict

Srinivas, a resident of the Chinnakurchi village said, “I am not asking for any compensation. As many as 60 cows, two dogs and two sheep have been taken away by the leopards. We want the forest department to relocate the leopards to the forest area so that they do not enter the village.”

Staff from the Karnataka forest department had visited the Chinnakurchi on December 15. Citing “massive encroachment”, the officials said leopards often stray into human settlements. They added that the 225 acre area of Chinnakurchi forest was declared as a reserve forest in 1984 under Section 4 of the Karnataka Forest Act (notification under which forest area is declared in Karnataka). However, the government is yet to declare the area a full-fledged reserve forest under Section 17.

A senior forest official on condition of anonymity said, “In 2017, the forest department wanted to conduct a survey but could not as the villagers at the instance of an MLA approached the court which granted a stay on the survey. Survey number 61 and 62 are forest areas in Chinnakurchi village but there have been massive encroachments of the forest by builders and private parties. If the area is declared as a reserve forest under Section 17, it will be difficult for the encroachers to get into the area.”

The official added, “The government is yet to appoint Forest Settlement Officers (FSO) so that the area can be declared a reserve forest under Section 17. The Chinnakurchi forest is beside the Sunkadakatte and Nettigere reserve forests, a total of about 700 acre,” a senior forest official said on the condition of anonymity.