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Pune, www.dnaindia.com PUNE Friday, February 20, 2009 epaper.dnaindia.com 5 Researcher Kiran Rahalkar checks the Pugmarks of a leopard —PANKAJ SEKHSARIA camera traps —PANKAJ SEKHSARIA Veterinarian Anirudh Belsare checks if the animal has a microchip —VIDYA ATHREYA VIDYA ATHREYA IS THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR WHO IS CARRYING OUT A PROJECT TO STUDY LEOPARDS IN AKOLE TALUKA THERE WILL BE THREE LEOPARD Understanding Akole's unusual SAFARIS FOR STATE The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has approved a proposal of the state government for setting up three leopard safaris in different parts. These are to come up near Belwandi in Ahmednagar district, at Manikdoh in Pune district and at Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Mumbai. Sixty leopards cap- tured from various parts of the state will be rehabilitated in the safaris, the first of which will come up in the Ahmednagar district. The state government expects to spend PHENOMENON Rs10 crore for establishing of these safaris. Pankaj Sekhsaria any significant problems. I have thoroughly enjoyed my work. The In- not attack people who are studying them. Vidya Athreya dia I knew seems so disconnected from rural Vidya Athreya is the principal investigator of Your biggest challenges in your research principal investigator of the project India. Yet one can sit in their house, chat about Any particular challenges the ongoing project to study and understand the On the field, it is the large number of people things and have a cup of tea. That has been The biggest challenges have been from a few presence of leopards and their behaviour in hu- you have to deal with. A lot of time and energy “The toughest amazing. The other thing is how politically male colleagues who appreciate what I am do- man-dominated agricultural landscapes of is spent talking to people and explaining what part has been powerful rural India is compared to urban ar- ing, but cannot handle the fact that a woman is western Maharashtra. Akole taluka in Ahmed- we are doing. I have also been lucky to get sup- eas (with the exception of Delhi, perhaps) and doing this, doing it well and alone. That I have nagar district is the present field site of her port from the forest department, both at the leaving behind my how politicians use all kinds of means to get to face this in this day and age, although not project that has been going on for over two state and the local level. Project supervisors Ul- eight-year-old their votes. That has been an eye-opener surprising in our intrinsically years. These are excerpts from an interview dis- has Karanth and Sukumar have also given me daughter to go conservative male dominated society,rankles. cussing various dimensions and complete freedom in my work. The biggest chal- Insights from interacting with local people challenges of her work. lenge has been to get the media interested. A out into the field. A lady told me that she had been seeing me The response from government agencies leopard living without attacking peo- But both she and coming regularly for my camera trapping work The forest department has been of great help How did you get interested in ple is not what many want to write my husband have been and was interested in the animals and had from the beginning. Be it the local staff or the studying the leopards of western about. They are interested in writ- grown curious about the leopards herself. But, senior officers, they have been very apprecia- Maharashtra? ing about it when there is a problem. remarkably supportive and I am she said, she did feel occasionally scared as she tive and have always shown great It began in 2003 when we moved exclusive This is perhaps, causing the greatest grateful to them.” had a little son. interest. to the Giant Meterwave Radio Tele- harm to the conservation of this Now,I knew that there was a leopard moving scope campus of the National Centre part V species. around in the vicinity as I had seen pugmarks Your next step in studying the leopards for Radio Astronomy in Narayan- Now the conservation community has to just behind her house. I almost could not sleep One of the biggest tasks before me is to ed- gaon. My husband, Ramana Athreya is an as- What are the larger lessons? start working with the local people. Also their that night wondering what would happen if the ucate farmers, local and state-level media, ur- tronomer.This region was most affected by the There are three important ones: tolerance is diminishing rapidly due to many boy was attacked ban public, managers and policy makers about leopard human conflict. There were attacks Significant wildlife exists outside our sanc- factors and it would end up being a great loss. the complexities. We want to use every two weeks. tuaries and national parks (protected areas); We have no clue that so much wildlife exists Your family's reactions global positioning system collars on the Many leopards that were captured had not we have a very unique situation in India where outside protected areas and management deci- The toughest part has been leaving behind leopards to see how close they come to hu- actually attacked humans, but had been sight- local people are still extremely tolerant of sions are generally inappropriate for these non- my eight-year-old daughter to go out into the mans. We know they have many opportunities ed or had killed livestock. I was fascinated and wildlife in their surroundings and conserva- protected areas or non-forest areas. field. But both she and my husband have been to attack, but don't and we want to understand keen to understand how these big cats lived in tion in India is viewed entirely through a remarkably supportive and I am grateful to this better. croplands, close to human settlements without protected area lens. Your experience with the local people them. My daughter asked me why leopards do —Concluded National Thanksgiving week begins architecture BJP launches signature at Sadhu Vaswani Mission convention Rahul Gadekar gets started drive to oppose BRTS The Thanksgiving week be- Party workers will gan at the Sadhu Vaswani DNA Correspondent Mission on Wednesday.Var- form a human ious programmes of seva The city members of the Na- chain on and satsang will be organ- tional Association of Stu- ised during the week. dents of Architecture (NASA) Hadapsar-Katraj The Thanksgiving week began with their annual con- route on Feb 22 is celebrated every year to vention— ‘Winds of Change: thank God for granting the Architecture for Public Good’ DNA Correspondent founder of the mission Dada on February 19 at Balewadi JP Vaswani with good Sports city. The city unit of the Bharatiya health and strength. The The NASA has about 33,000 Janata Party (BJP) on Tues- first day started with the registered members from 120 day launched a signature chanting of the maha- architecture colleges. The campaign demanding roll- mantra which continued SERVICE OF THE NEEDY: Dada JP Vaswani distributing convention which will end on back of the Hadapsar-Katraj throughout the day by dif- food items to poor children on Wednesday. February 20 is being attended Bus Rapid Transit System ferent singers and groups by the registered members (BRTS) project in the city.Par- including the Pune Bridge- ties on Friday at 6 pm. Mo- Naresh Singhani, the and students from the ty workers will form a human Builders and ISKCON. A hit Lalwani of Indian Idol spokesperson of the colleges. chain on February 22 to high- medical camp was also or- fame, fashion designer Nee- mission told DNA. As many as 4,000 architec- light their opposition to the ganised at the Budhrani ta Lulla, numerologist Other programmes ture students will participate pilot project. Heart Institute. Children Shwetta Jumaani which will be in it. Renowned architects BJP spokesperson Ujwal from poor families were giv- and others will held are satsang, like Uttam Jain, K Jaisim, Keskar said that the party has en nutritious items in the participate and tirth yatra, social Yatin Pandya and Shirish set up pandals at six chowks evening satsang.Many will share their service session, Beri will be present. on the BRTS route and col- EN ROUTE: The BJP organised a demonstration at Swargate against the BRTS on Tuesday. devotees took Dada’s experiences with business session, The event offers a platform lected around 18,000 (Inset) A man at the signature campaign that was launched on Tuesday. darshan on the occasion. the audience. Sindhi sangeet for students to interact with signatures. convey to him their opposi- run it on the Hadapsar-Katraj has also sanctioned Rs476.62 “The first and question-an- their peers from across the City unit president Girish tion to the BRTS project. He stretch. crore for implementing the SINDHI CONVENTION Sindhi conven- swer session with country and expose them- Bapat, party leaders Yogesh blamed the Congress and the The Pune Municipal BRTS phase I project in the FROM TODAY tion was held last Dada JP Vaswani. selves to the upcoming trends. Gogawale, Vishwas Gan- Nationalist Congress Party Corporation (PMC) is imple- city.Keskar and other leaders Sadhu Vaswani Mission year. This event Over 500 dele- The participants will also gurde, Anil Shirole, all BJP for introducing the BRTS menting this project under blamed the Congress for im- will hold the second Sindhi will help to recreate the gates will participate. Reg- have an opportunity to take corporators and 1,200 workers project in the city. the Jawaharlal Nehru plementing the project with- convention from February identity of every member of istrations can be done by part in numerous aspects of participated in the campaign.

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