Daily life of residents of Geruwa rural municipality adjoining the Bardia national park has been affected due to increasing tiger menace. A recent spate in attacks by the wild animal on humans has forced people to stay inside their homes.

Manau, Patabhar, Gola, Pashupatinagar in the rural municipality have been experiencing tiger attacks of late. “In the past two months, tigers have savoured cows, buffaloes and goats in our village, while also killing one person in Ghotiya few days ago,” said Namrata Khanal of Tingharuwa in Geruwa-4. The wild animal has been coming to the people’s cowshed for the cattle. People rush towards their home as the sun sets and also fear if tigers are hiding inside the wheat farms in the day. Taking over the increasing threat of the tigers from the park, local women picketed the rural municipality office recently.

Demanding security of their lives, the women have urged the rural municipality authorities to take steps towards neutralizing the threat of tigers to the local population. The rural municipality Chair Jaman Singh Kadat said efforts are on to prevent wild animals including tiger from coming into the human settlement. Some 18 to 20 kilometers of fencing is being carried out in collaboration with the national park authorities, he said. Kadat also said that a budget of Rs. 15 million has been allocated for the current fiscal year to stop damage to people’s life and property from the wildlife. The rural municipality shares around 35 kilometers border with the national park. The rural municipality has also been providing financial relief as compensation to the cattle lost to attacks by wild animals. It has been providing Rs. 10,000 for a buffalo and Rs. 5,000 for cow, ox or a goat.

The number of people who have died to tiger attacks has reached eight so far in Bardia. The latest victim is Renuka Sunar,28, a resident of Madhuban municipality-3, who died in a tiger attack in the Samjhana community forest, according to DSP at the District Police Office, Bardia. She died last Wednesday. Another twelve people have died of attacks by wild elephants, the locals have said. RSS