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Tiger sightings near Bhopal's urban forest raise safety concerns

Recent tiger encounters in Bhopal's Chandanpura area highlight growing human-wildlife conflict as urban development encroaches on tiger habitat, despite forest department warnings.

By Pallav Jain
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Two tigers were spotted crossing the road in Bhopal's Chandanpura area during the morning hours on Friday, January 10, with witnesses reporting they had hunted a cow. Environmental activist Rashid Noor notes that approximately 18 tigers regularly move through this area, yet human activity continues to expand, creating a dangerous situation for both wildlife and residents.

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The Ground Report team observed numerous Forest Department warning boards about tiger movement and sensitive zones, but vehicle and pedestrian traffic remained heavy. The department's recent development of Nagar Van (Urban Forest) in Chandanpura has increased foot traffic from morning walkers, despite claims of adequate safety measures. The January 10 tiger sighting has renewed safety concerns.

"The Chandanpura site was already a natural forest," explains Noor. "Instead of declaring it a protected area for tigers, the Forest Department installed barriers and created walking paths. They could have developed these recreational facilities elsewhere in the city, which would have both increased green cover and preserved the urban forest's primary purpose of human interaction with nature."  

Read our detailed report on Chandanpura Urban Forest in Bhopal

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