Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The much-awaited operation of the forest department to capture blackbucks from Shajapur and shift them to Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary is still in limbo. The reason is that the forest department is yet to get the helicopter on rent. The operation to catch blackbucks will be conducted by experts from South Africa.
Sources in the forest department said that sometime back, a tender was issued to get a helicopter on rent for Shajapur operation but it failed to bear fruit.
Now, the forest department has asked the Aviation Department to provide the helicopter on rent so that necessary plan to catch blackbucks from Shajapur could be finalised.
Blackbucks are a big problem to farmers in Shajapur district as they feed on standing crops. They have even submitted memorandums to local authorities, seeking solution to the problem.
Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Wild Life, L Krishnamurthy told Free Press, ‘We are in discussion with the aviation department to get helicopter on rent. No sooner did we get the helicopter, we will do the planning of the operation’.
Sources said that there are around 5k blackbucks in Shajapur district. They would be caught and shifted to Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary to increase their prey base. The forest department intends to hire Robinson helicopter to catch herds of blackbucks as it easily fly at low altitude.
With its help, blackbucks would be herded inside big enclosures and from there they would be caught for translocation purpose. Meanwhile, many items related to Boma technique and other things have already arrived from South Africa to Shajapur district.
