Nagpur Feb 22 PTI People of 45 villages falling in the buffer zone of Pench Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra have been counseled about the need to prevent and control forest fires an official said on Tuesday The Pench Tiger Reserve has seven ranges spread over 741 square kilometres comprising a core area of 430 square km and a buffer zone of 311 square km he said There were 15 incidents of fire in PTR in 2018 in which 28517 hectare area got burnt In 2019 there were 26 fire incidents in which 29145 hectare area got burnt In 2020 there were seven fire incidents reducing an area of 1305 hectare to ashes In 2021 the number increased to 54 leaving an area of 61914 hectare singed he said PTR has organised a competition among 45 villages of the buffer area for prevention and control of forest fire Since most fires are man-made it is imperative to involve people The programme will start on March 1 and continue till May 31 It will be assessed by an evaluation committee with fortnight reports being collected from villages said Kulraj Singh deputy director of Pench Tiger Reserve He said scoring will be on points such as formation and performance of the team of local youths in fire prevention and control farmers not burning fire in their farm land no use of fire in tendu and mahua collection use of net for mahua collection avoiding grazing in forest land developing fodder bank in villages etc The three best performing villages will be given Rs 51000 Rs 31000 and Rs 21000 he added PTI CLS BNM BNM BNM

Nagpur Jan 21 PTI Six persons have been arrested in connection with the poaching of a tiger who was found dead without two teeth and whiskers in Arjuni-Morgaon forest range of Maharashtras Gondia district an official said on Friday A five-year-old tiger was found dead at Arjuni-Morgaon forest range on January 13 following which the Gondia forest department had announced Rs 25000 reward for anyone who shared information about the death the official said As per the probe the accused Dhanraj Chachane and Madhukar Waghade had on January 11 stolen electricity from a private farm using electric steel wire and laid it in 15 km range in the forest area for poaching herbivorous animals said Kulraj Singh deputy conservator of forest of the Gondia Forest Department A tiger came in contact with the wire on the night of January 11 following which the accused took two teeth and whiskers of the animal he said Six persons have been arrested in connection with case so far the official said adding that the forest department has seized the teeth and some other body parts which the accused had removed from the animal using an axe PTI CLS ARU ARU