Pune: District Govt Officials Steps Up Action Against Leopard Conflicts With AI Surveillance, 24×7 Helpline, and New Rescue Hubs
Pune: District Govt Officials Steps Up Action Against Leopard Conflicts With AI Surveillance, 24x7 Helpline, and New Rescue Hubs
Pune, November 12, 2025: With incidents of man-leopard conflict on the rise in Pune district, a detailed review meeting was held today under the chairmanship of District Collector Jitendra Dudi to formulate long-term measures to address the issue. The meeting took place at the District Collector’s office.
Deputy Conservators of Forests Prashant Khade (Junnar Division) and Mahadev Mohite (Pune Division), along with assistant conservators, range forest officers, and other concerned officials, were present for the discussions.
During the meeting, officials reviewed the recent leopard-related incidents in high-risk areas of the district. Since October 12, 2025, a total of 17 leopards have been captured in Shirur and Ambegaon talukas and relocated to the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre in Junnar.
A district-level control room has been established to respond to such incidents and is operational 24×7. The toll-free helpline number 1800-3033 has been made available for citizens to report leopard sightings or emergencies.
To strengthen surveillance and response, advanced technologies such as AI-based monitoring systems, solar-powered night drones, camera traps, and sound alert mechanisms have been deployed in highly sensitive villages. Currently, the Junnar Forest Division has 262 cages available, with more under preparation, and procurement of additional equipment is in progress.
District Collector Jitendra Dudi instructed officials to procure up to 700 additional cages from suppliers or agencies across districts and states that can deliver them quickly. He also directed that cages be immediately installed in all villages identified as potential leopard-prone zones.
To enhance community awareness, Dudi advised holding Gram Sabha meetings to inform residents about the ongoing measures, recent incidents, and actions taken. He further directed the formation of village-level coordination committees comprising experienced individuals, Van Aapda Mitra volunteers, NGOs, and other local volunteers.
These committees will be tasked with conducting drone surveys to record leopard sightings, intensify patrolling, raise public awareness, and implement a standard operating procedure (SOP) for handling leopard-related emergencies. Coordination meetings will also be held under the supervision of the Superintendent of Police’s “Tiger Cell” to ensure better inter-departmental communication.
At present, the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre has a capacity of 50 leopards but is currently housing 67. Given the rising number of leopard captures, Dudi instructed officials to initiate steps to establish new leopard rescue and rehabilitation centres capable of accommodating 1,000 leopards in the Junnar Forest Division and 500 in the Pune Forest Division.
