Pilibhit: Pilibhit Tiger Reserve authorities have decided to maintain a data of tigers that stray into the eco-sensitive zone of the forest through a mobile app. This app will be the first of its kind in the state.
There are 276 villages in the eco-sensitive zone and of these, 176 have been declared as “sensitive”. From time to time, tigers stray into these villages. Now, if spotted, the information about the big cat will be relayed to the forest officials by “bagh mitras”, who have been selected for the purpose. Each of the bagh mitras will have the app on his mobile for the purpose.
The app will show the GPS coordinates, the photos and the brief description of the big cat spotted along with mobile phone numbers of forest personnel ranging from the forest guard up to the deputy director— all of which will be available on a single click. The information will then be compiled in PTR’s data base online along with maps concerned.
Till now, PTR authorities had little or no information about tigers that stray out of the forest, said deputy director Naveen Khandelwal.
He said, “The app will be downloaded on the mobiles of some 12 bagh mitras in each of the 176 villages declared as sensitive in the eco sensitive zone of PTR. Each bagh mitra will transfer the information of any tiger straying into their area with specific details through the mobile app to the forest staff concerned.”
Once they get the information, the field forest personnel will immediately rush to the spot and verify the authenticity of the information. If they assess the situation as “alarming”, they will immediately inform higher officials to receive assistance of a rescue team.
The action taken on ground zero in response to bagh mitra’s information will regularly be examined by the SDOs and the deputy director, Khandelwal added.
“This information will be compiled and analyzed at PTR headquarters on a weekly basis and it will also help identifying the most affected areas in vicinity of forest and to study the reasons for the tiger to stray there,” the deputy director explained.
The bagh mitra and field forest force will be trained to use app, he added.
There are 276 villages in the eco-sensitive zone and of these, 176 have been declared as “sensitive”. From time to time, tigers stray into these villages. Now, if spotted, the information about the big cat will be relayed to the forest officials by “bagh mitras”, who have been selected for the purpose. Each of the bagh mitras will have the app on his mobile for the purpose.
The app will show the GPS coordinates, the photos and the brief description of the big cat spotted along with mobile phone numbers of forest personnel ranging from the forest guard up to the deputy director— all of which will be available on a single click. The information will then be compiled in PTR’s data base online along with maps concerned.
Till now, PTR authorities had little or no information about tigers that stray out of the forest, said deputy director Naveen Khandelwal.
He said, “The app will be downloaded on the mobiles of some 12 bagh mitras in each of the 176 villages declared as sensitive in the eco sensitive zone of PTR. Each bagh mitra will transfer the information of any tiger straying into their area with specific details through the mobile app to the forest staff concerned.”
Once they get the information, the field forest personnel will immediately rush to the spot and verify the authenticity of the information. If they assess the situation as “alarming”, they will immediately inform higher officials to receive assistance of a rescue team.
The action taken on ground zero in response to bagh mitra’s information will regularly be examined by the SDOs and the deputy director, Khandelwal added.
“This information will be compiled and analyzed at PTR headquarters on a weekly basis and it will also help identifying the most affected areas in vicinity of forest and to study the reasons for the tiger to stray there,” the deputy director explained.
The bagh mitra and field forest force will be trained to use app, he added.
