-- Samir Umarye BY SAMIR UMARYE BICHOLIM FEB 6: The forest department seem to be giving nelson's eye to the presence of Tiger in Mhadai Wild Life sanctuary even
as some of the families living here have verified and have already suffered blunt of the wild animal. It may be stated that through a notification the government had declared the Mhadai as a wild life sanctuary in 2009. Some of the environmentalists and animal lovers tried to prove that there is a presence of Tiger in the forests. There were several pug marks found at Keri Sattari but the forest department did not accept to the fact that the sanctuary has the presence of a Tiger. Even the killing of a Tiger by the locals in the area some two years back did not prove of its existence or to say at least the forest department did not agree to the same. "The work of the forest department would increase in the area if they prove that there is a Tiger in the Mhadai Wild Life sanctuary" Animal Rescue Squad chief, Amrut Singh told Herald when asked about the possible reason behind the same "they would have to abide by several restrictions if it is claimed as Tiger reserve and even the work load would increase and that is the possible reason why the forest department are not agreeing to the fact." It was just last month after the repeated efforts by the animal lovers that the Chief Conservator of Forest, Shashi Kumar visited Keri on the news that there were pug marks found in the area. Due to mounting pressure from all sides the CCF at last accepted the Tiger's presence and sent the samples of the pug mark for scientific analysis. The Tiger showed its presence once again on Thursday when it killed a buffalo belonging to one Babu Manu Fale from Charvane Chorla within the Thane - Sattari panchayat. It was able to injure the buffalo who later succumbed to her injuries. Before the news of the killing could be flashed the tiger once again strike another bull belonging to Fale family. Babu Fale speaking to Herald told that the bull was attacked by the tiger in the wee hours on Sunday. The incident took place some 100 mts away from their hut and when the family members came running the Tiger fleed from the scene. "We just heard two cries of the buffalo and we rushed to the spot at about 5.30 am but within no time the Tiger had injured the Buffalo on its neck" Babu recalls "we just saw the buffalo was on the ground and after some time it died due to injuries." The animal lovers from Keri and ARS Bicholim immediately swung into action and went to the Charavne- Thane (Chorla ghat) and were able to spot the pub marks which were about 7 cms long. "The wounds on the buffalo's neck are deep and it can be no other than a tiger who killed the buffalo" Amrut Singh told Herald.