Bengal CM advises use of drone to spot strayed tiger

To spot the tiger that has strayed into the forests around Lalgarh in Paschim Medinipur district, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has advised the use of drones. The tiger has been eluding Forest Department officials for the past many days, and hence the measure suggested by the Chief Minister would be a very effective one.

Mamata Banerjee gave this advice to Forest Department officials during an administrative review meeting on March 7 in Bankura district.

The tiger has has also been spotted near Medinipur town; its pug marks have been seen in the outskirts, in Mukarta and Muchiberia villages, less than 10 km away.

The department has already placed a cage in the Chandra Range area, said the divisional forest officer (DFO) of Medinipur. Other measures include the placing of traps in Madhupur in Lalgarh, which was done on March 2.

Earlier, on February 27, the department had installed cameras after villagers complained of cattle vanishing in the area.

According to forest officials, the Royal Bengal tiger is an adult male, and that it might have strayed from Odisha’s Simlipal that is about 190 km away.