Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 28 (ANI): In Sunday’s episode of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Pilibhit’s ‘Bagh Mitr Program’ on the occasion of World Tiger Day on Sunday.
Following this, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his gratitude on his official social media account X, stating that the honorable Prime Minister’s special mention of the ‘Bagh Mitr Program’ in Pilibhit district will inspire new enthusiasm and energy among all participants.
CM Yogi Adityanath also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tiger conservation and promotion under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
The initiative, launched in 2019 under the guidance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, aims to significantly reduce human-wildlife conflict in the area, which was rampant previously.
In October 2023, CM Yogi introduced the ‘Bagh Mitr App’ in Pilibhit. Over 120 individuals, including many young people, elderly citizens, and four women, are part of the ‘Bagh Mitr’ network.
They use a WhatsApp group to report sightings of tigers or other wildlife, enabling the forest department to promptly respond and ensure public safety by tracking the animals’ locations.
Manish Singh, the Divisional Forest Officer of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, said, “Pilibhit used to experience frequent incidents of human-wildlife conflict. To address this issue, the ‘Bagh Mitr’ program was launched in 2019 under the guidance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, aiming to reduce these conflicts effectively. The program has been quite successful, and in October 2023, CM Yogi introduced the ‘Bagh Mitr’ app during his visit to Pilibhit.”
The Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, established in 2014, initially had 24 tigers. Conservation and promotion programs were implemented following state government directives, significantly increasing the tiger population.
Notably, 70 percent of the world’s tigers are found in India, with Uttar Pradesh making a valuable contribution. A tiger census conducted in Pilibhit in 2022 revealed that the tiger population had tripled over eight years, with 72 tigers now residing in the reserve.
These positive results reflect the government’s dedicated efforts in wildlife conservation and bring hope for the future of tiger population management.
Divisional Forest Officer Manish Singh explained that the ‘Bagh Mitr’ program is a modern and efficient initiative. A WhatsApp group of 120 volunteers from nearby villages, including four women, has been established. To become a ‘Bagh Mitr,’ volunteers must be over 18 years old. The Forest department trained five villagers from remote areas near the forest to be ‘Bagh Mitr.’
Singh stated that if a tiger or any other animal is spotted outside the forest, the ‘Bagh Mitr’ are instructed to notify the WhatsApp group and the department by phone immediately.
This prompt communication allows the department’s officers and staff to respond quickly and deploy a team. Volunteers can also use the ‘Bagh Mitr’ app to update the group with photos of the animal, helping the department accurately identify the species and determine its location relative to the forest.
A monitoring team is dispatched to ensure public safety if a tiger is near agricultural areas. This program helps keep the community informed and protected.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the ‘Bagh Mitr Program’ during Sunday’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address.
Following this, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his gratitude on his official social media account X, stating that the honorable Prime Minister’s special mention of the ‘Bagh Mitr Program’ in Pilibhit district will inspire new enthusiasm and energy among all participants.
CM Yogi Adityanath also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tiger conservation and promotion under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. (ANI)
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