Who are the 'vote-eating' Corbett leopards? The reason behind Uttarakhand's election dilemma
Uttarakhand's serene surroundings of Nainital and Pauri districts, villagers near the Corbett Tiger Reserve are dealing with the challenges of human-animal conflict.
In the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on April 19 in Garhwal (Pauri Garhwal) and Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar, one of the major issues is the conflict between humans and big cats. The BJP won both seats in 2019. As the polls approach again, voters are faced with a decision: to boycott or to vote? While some consider boycotting, others are considering the 'None Of The Above (NOTA)' option.
The frustration has grown due to what villagers perceive as a lack of government intervention. «Villagers are not inclined to vote for any candidate. Neither our MP nor any MLA has paid attention to our plight,» convener of Sanyukt Sangharsh Committee, Lalit Upreti told TOI.
Over the past decade, big cats in Uttarakhand have claimed the lives of 264 humans — 203 by leopards and 61 by tigers. Wildlife attacks have disrupted daily life, leading to school closures and protests in villages like Sawaldeh, Patrani, Dhela, and Pauri.
This discontent has affected elections in the region before. In 2022, villagers in Tehri boycotted assembly polls, and a similar action was taken during the 2014 LS polls in Pauri.
Villages are facing the imminent threat of displacement, leading them to appeal to the CM. Some are advocating for a revision of the Wildlife Protection Act, questioning the endangered status of big cats given their populations in Uttarakhand. However, environmental
