Leopard sighted at Ukai power plant, four cages installed

Buy Now | Our best subscription plan now has a special price

They intimated the forest department that sent personnel to the power plant. The team did a survey and placed four cages with baits in areas where the leopard’s pug marks were found.

The forest personnel also instructed the employees of the power plant not to venture out alone till the leopard is caged.

Talking to The Indian Express, Songadh range forest officer Anil Prajapati said, “The campus of the thermal plant is divided into two parts and the campus has a 12-foot high wire fencing.

The power station is on one side while the other area is unused, which is around 50 hectares with dense green cover. Only one leopard was sighted…”

The residential colonies of staffers are around three kilometres from the plant. Apart from the main gate for entry and exit guarded by CISF personnel, there is another entry through which goods trains bring in coal. “The gate is opened only for the train to enter and exit. There is a gap near that gate through which the leopard is suspected to have entered,” Prajapati added.

Pointing out that there are no other animals in the power plant campus, he said, “If the leopard gets hungry, he will definitely enter the cage for food and get trapped.”

Meanwhile, a 50-year-old tribal in Kalibel village of Mandvi taluka in Surat early Sunday was attacked by a leopard. According to forest personnel, the tribal, Umedbhai Chaudhary, escaped with injuries on his chest and right shoulder.

Forest officials reached the village and put up a cage to catch the leopard.

The villagers have been instructed to take safety precautions while going to agricultural fields, they said.