Leopard rescue centres planned in Junnar region to curb attacks: Shinde

To tackle leopard attacks in the Junnar region Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde said that the state cabinet has approved two leopard rescue centres an official statement issued by his office said on ThursdayldquoProtecting human lives is Maharashtra governmentrsquos responsibility We will create a leopard attacksfree environmentrdquo he saidMultiple leopard attacks in Junnar had last year turned politicalLast year in December Shiv Senas Junnar MLA Sharad Sonawane had arrived at the state legislature in Nagpur during the Maharashtra Assembly Session dressed in a leopard costumeWhile speaking to the media outside the assembly premises Sonawane had claimed that 55 people have died in leopard attacks in Junnar Taluka of Pune district in the past three monthsRaising the issue Sonawane had demanded that the government should declare a lsquostate emergencyrsquo and capture at least 2000 leopards and put them in rescue centresMIDC and IT park near Shivneri FortEknath Shinde also announced plans to set up an MIDC and IT park near Shivneri Fort construct a grand entrance gate establish a food processing park at Dumbarwadi and promote tourismled employment He pledged to make Junnar the numberone tourism taluka in the countryShinde also said religious sites will be developed Buddhist caves conserved and forts protectedThe Deputy CM listed several infrastructure and development projects including the MurbadJunnar highway faster progress on the PuneNashik railway line the 56km JunnarTalegaon road Rs 313 crore for repairs to Chilewadi Dam Rs 35 crore for bridge construction and a Rs 240 crore proposal for Parunde Kumbh Mela facilitiesHe also mentioned water supply schemes for tribal hamlets MI tanks canals check dams drinking water for plateau regions and a Rs 32000 crore compensation package for losses caused by excessive rainfallFarmer has first right over state treasury ShindeCalling farmers the nationrsquos food providers Shinde said they have the first right over the statersquos resources He announced that steps would be taken to grant municipal council status to Otur and NarayangaonHe also said boating permissions for tourism would be encouraged and priority would be given to providing jobs to local youthAppeal to vote for Shiv Sena candidatesShinde announced the names of all Shiv Sena candidates for the district council and panchayat committee elections and urged voters to press the bowandarrow button on February 7ldquoA vote for the bow and arrow is a vote for developmentrdquo he said assuring five years of dedicated service Promising to transform Junnar and repay the debt to Shivaji Maharajrsquos land he concluded his speech with chants of ldquoJai MaharashtrardquoSeveral Shiv Sena leaders candidates party officials and workers were present at the event