Blackbucks find a new home in Meja,numbers up from 50 to 400

“In 2009,the forest areas of Chand Khamaria village of Meja tehsil had around 50 blackbucks. A formal count,using traditional methods,which concluded this May,has put their numbers at 404,’’ said Allahabad Divisional Forest Officer Manoj Kumar Khare. The area around Chand Khamaria and other villages falls under the forest department.

The blackbucks appeared to have migrated to this region from surrounding areas,which leads to the forests in Mirzapur,Khare said,attributed the trend largely to the manner in which the villagers treat the antelopes.

“The people in this area consider them sacred and treat them with respect. They also ensure that the animals are not hunted,’’ he said.

Last year in December,the forest department and the NTPC had signed a memorandum of understanding to develop the sanctuary according to the needs of the blackbucks.

The NTPC will spend around Rs 1.75 crore over a period of five years on the project.

The project entails plantation,developing grasslands,ponds,installing pump houses and setting up of watch towers. The total project is spread over an area of nearly 250 hectares. The villages included in this project,apart from Chand Khamaria,are Mahuli Kala,Gadaria,Kaprahi and Kihuni Kala.

“A major plantation drive has been taken up over an area of around 200 hectares. Three ponds were completed by February. A total of five ponds will be developed,” said Khare.

There was a proposal to fence the entire area,but has been done away with. “The animals survive best in natural surroundings. Also,fencing the area could have led to the area falling in the category of a zoo,’’ said Meja Forest Ranger R N Yadav.

PRASHANT PANDEY