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Written by: Mudasir Rashid

Category: ENVIRONMENT

Published: 11 October 2016

GANDERBAL: The terror lashed by wild bears that have created havoc in this Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district of Sonamarg area with attacks on livestock and possibility of attack on human lives. These wild animals are on prowl at Sonamarg village and the main market is also not safe as a bears roaming freely during morning time. "We are continuously living under the threat of bear attacks who have injured hundreds of people in near by areas in the past” Farooq Ahmad a local resident told.

He said the people were hesitant to move out of homes and the children were reluctant to go to their Darasgah due to the fear of bear attacks. We also expressed apprehensions about the safety of people and children. “With bears roaming freely, there is a strong possibility of attack on humans largely in Fajir time,” the residents said adding the children had been barred to play outside their homes. It shows the department is ill equipped and understaffed” to meet the increasing incidents of man-animal conflict in the area. We appealing concern authorities to look into the issue".

Two to Three bears daily in morning times appeared in our locality as well as in main Sonamarg market and try to damage our livestock, due to disturbance in their natural habitat, upper forests these bears are coming down to human habitations, which is of grave concern", an elder man said.