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Rapid Response Vehicles are functional for Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation in Haridwar-Rajaji Landscape, under the Indo-German Cooperation

Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister, Uttarakhand, in presence of Shri Subodh Uniyal, Forest Minister Uttarakhand, flagged off two Rapid Response Vehicles, provided to the Uttarakhand Forest department by GIZ-MoEFCC under the Indo-German Cooperation project on Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation, during the inaugural ceremony of Wildlife Week at Lachhiwala nature Park, Dehradun on Oct 1, 2022. These RRT vehicles will be used by the Rapid Response Teams of Uttarakhand Forest Department for effective Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation.

The Uttarakhand Forest Department has received these vehicles and associated trainings, as part of the demonstration pilot on the ‘Early Warning and Rapid Response System’ being implemented in the Rajaji-Haridwar landscape, under the Indo-German Cooperation project “Human Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (HWC)”. The Indo-German project is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) with the Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India and the State Forest Departments of Karnataka, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.

The vehicles have been fabricated to suit the field requirements of the rapid response teams, animal health safety aspects, and past experiences in the use of rescue vehicles in similar landscapes in India. Several other equipment for the Rapid Response Teams has already been provided under the Project and trainings are being provided to the personnel for effective use of this equipment, including radio collars for elephant and leopards, camera traps, specialised equipment kits for the rapid response teams for patrolling, rescue and driving operations, and a rapid response vehicle.

The officers from Uttarakhand Forest department included Mr. Vinod Kumar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Head of Forest Force); Dr. Samir Sinha, IFS Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden; Mr. Ranjan Mishra, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife); Dr. Saket Badola, Director Rajaji Tiger Reserve and Mr. Sadhu Lal Paliyal, Sub Divisional Officer, Haridwar Forest Division. Mr. Vimarsh Sharma, Forestry & Biodiversity Advisor and State Coordinator for Uttarakhand, Indo-German Project on Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation in India represented GIZ India in the event.

Mr. Pushkar Singh Dhami and Mr. Subodh Uniyal also saw the demonstration by the Division-level Rapid Response Team (RRT) of various equipment from the RRT Kit provided to the Rajaji Tiger Reserve under the project and appreciated the efforts put in by the Indo-German Project on Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (HWC) and Uttarakhand Forest Department in mitigation of human wildlife conflict. He also thanked the GIZ for providing the Rapid Response Vehicle for Haridwar-Rajaji Landscape.

The Indo-German Project on Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (HWC) aims at providing technical support at the national level, and effective implementation of HWC mitigation measures in selected states. The project pilot sites are Kodagu in Karnataka, Haridwar-Rajaji in Uttarakhand and Gorumara in West Bengal.

Link to further materials

Contact
Neeraj Khera — Project Manager & Team Leader
Human Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Project

Key buzzwords
Rapid Response Teams, Rajaji-Haridwar Landscape, Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation