12 Blackbucks jump to death in Maharashtra: Environmentalists in shock, state to seek 2 underpasses

Mumbai: Environmentalists have expressed shock at the deaths of 12 blackbucks, an endangered and protected species, on the Solapur-Pune Mangalwedha national highway on Saturday evening and demanded that guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests for mitigation measures on existing and proposed linear projects through wildlife habitats be strictly implemented.

According to the state Forest Department, 15 blackbucks fell to the ground from a height of around 35 feet along the national highway when trying to cross the road. On being alerted by locals, 12 of them were rushed to a nearby hospital where they were declared dead.

The Forest Department will now send a communication to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to build two underpasses at the site. Department sources said the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation has constructed underpasses and overpasses on its roads and the NHAI should follow suit.

The blackbucks got trapped on the highway

Kishor Rithe, former member of the Maharashtra State Wildlife Board, told The Free Press Journal, “There are guidelines on mitigation measures on existing and proposed linear projects through wildlife habitats, but they are often ignored. The 12 blackbucks got trapped on the highway and jumped to their deaths.”

He suggested that an underpass be provided at this point as the bucks often get run over when trying to cross. “Total estimated population of blackbucks in this region now is only 300,” he said. “I also demand a 3m chain-link fence over the side wall of the flyover to avoid such incidents.”

Debi Goenka, Executive Trustee of the Conservation Action Trust, said there is a need to retrofit mitigation measures on existing highways, expressways and railways. “New road and rail projects must have in-built mitigation measures at the design stage,” he said. “We cannot afford repeated massacres of wildlife in this manner.”