Local people living in buffer zone of the Chitwan National Park (CNP) have demanded that the concerned authorities come up with a proper defence plan to keep the wild beasts away from human settlements in Nawalparasi district.

The wild animals, mostly the tiger and rhino, often enter the nearly human settlements and wreak havoc. The beast attack the locals, prey domesticated animals and damage crops. 

Aasmati Magar of Dumkibas-7 became the latest victim of such attack on Friday. A tiger attacked her while she was collecting fodder in  a nearby forest. It was the third human death over the month. The locals have been living in constant fear; they believe the tiger is a man-eater and continues to venture into their settlement and attacks people. It is unclear whether all three were the victims of the same tiger.

“Local people are in panic as the wild beasts continued attacks on humans. We cannot come out of house in the dawn and dusk for fear of being attacked,” said Kamal Raj Sharma, a local of Kumarbarti-8. The villagers say the wild beasts enter the human settlements, particularly during winter and wreak havoc. 

Similarly, rhinos that enter the settlements from the CNP forests have been destroying crops. The pachyderms damage wheat, mustard and vegetables.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajesh Thapa at the Area Police Office in Nawalpur said they had informed the CNP authorities about the tiger attack in the area. “We have asked the park administration to look into tiger attacks at the earliest,” he added.

Electric fence ‘ineffective’

Electric fences, which were installed about eight years ago to prevent anivals from straying into nearby human settlements, are ineffective now. 

“The electric fences somehow prevent rhino, wild boar and most of other animals from entering the settlement. But they are useless against the tiger,” said Basudev Poudel, the chairman of Lamichaur Buffer Zone Consumers’ Committee. The fences have been damaged in several places due to the lack of regular maintenance, allowing the animals to enter the human settlements.