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Forest department notice to Amte’s camps

The Samiti, founded by renowned social worker late Baba Amte, has been served the notices as per the directives of Central Zoo Authority (CZA).

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Although the forest department served the notices to Maharogi Seva Samiti for illegally keeping wild animals at Somnath and Anandvan, the department itself has been using the facility currently.

The Samiti, founded by renowned social worker late Baba Amte, has been served the notices as per the directives of Central Zoo Authority (CZA). A leopard captured from the forest around Chandrapur following man-animal conflict has been currently kept at the Somnath camp. There are around two dozen other wild animals at Anandwan and Somnath camps. A letter from the authority has ordered relocation of the wild animals to adequate and authorised places for wildlife care-taking.

Some tourists who visited the Somnath camp recently have revealed that the visitors go too close to the animals. People were seen poking the leopards with sticks.

When contacted, Pravin Chavan, deputy conservator of forest, Chandrapur, said, “We received a letter from CZA directing us to relocate the animals at both the facilities to some other authorised location. Accordingly, we have served notices to them in this regard. The animals will be moved out as soon as alternate arrangements are finalised,” he said.

When asked why the forest department was using the ‘illegal’ facility, Chavan said, “I was not aware about the directives when the leopard was shifted to Somnath about a year back.”

However, Kaustubh Amte, grandson of late Baba Amte and in-charge of both Anandwan and Somnath camps, denied of receiving any such notice. “Forest department officials are welcome to take away the animals. We had recognition for a mini zoo from CZA till a couple of years back, but we voluntarily surrendered it and asked the authority to relocate the wild animals to a proper facility, as it is difficult for us to maintain them,” he said.

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