Odisha should send team to rescue tigers that stray into Bengal: Mamata
Times of India | 7 January 2025
12 Gangasagar: CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday said Odisha govt should send its team to rescue tigers that had strayed into the state and "not blame Bengal".
The CM was referring to tigress Zeenat, who had trekked 300km across three states and was caught on Dec 29 last year in Bankura, 21 days after wandering out of Simlipal. The tigress was taken to Alipore Zoo in Kolkata for a health check-up and to complete formalities. National Tiger Conservation Authority had then asked the Bengal forest department why Zeenat was taken to the zoo after being tranquilised and not transferred back to Similipal Tiger Reserve.
Referring to the episode at a programme in Gangasagar on Monday, the CM said villagers in five Bengal districts had lived in panic for five days.
"Another tiger has been spotted today. We can't send our officials to catch a tiger each time they decide to release one," Banerjee said. "One tiger (Zeenat) crossed five districts in Bengal... Our forest department officials worked overnight to nab the tiger and sent it back."
"Why can't you (Odisha) take care of the wild animals in your forests? You should ensure that your tiger does not enter our forests. Villagers were scared and lived in panic for five days. Schools were closed and children couldn't attend classes," she said.
Lauding the efforts of forest department officials, Banerjee said Odisha had for the tiger to be returned immediately after it was caught. "If you do not have space for these tigers, send them to us. We have a tiger reserve and a rescue centre," she said. "I do not want to blame Odisha govt. I would ask them to send their team and rescue the tiger and stop blaming us," she added.
Banerjee said that chief secretary Manoj Pant would now write to Odisha govt to conduct the rescue operation.
An official said there was currently no presence of tigers in any Jangalmahal district. However, per reports, forest officials in Purulia are on alert as the district's border is 25-30km from areas where pugmarks have been spotted near Jharkhand's Dalma sanctuary. An official in Jharkhand, however, said they were yet to get camera trap images of the big cat from these areas.