Now Reading: Karnataka children risk tiger and leopard encounters on school route
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Karnataka children risk tiger and leopard encounters on school route
Children from Marathi Camp in Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru district walk about 3 km through forest and farmland to reach their school in Byrapura. In July, three Class 7 students encountered a leopard, while…
The Story in Brief
Children from Marathi Camp in Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru district walk about 3 km through forest and farmland to reach their school in Byrapura. In July, three Class 7 students encountered a leopard, while parents later reported seeing what they believed were tiger pug marks. All 28 children stayed away from school for three days before returning.
The village has about 44 families and no proper road. Officials opened an anganwadi centre locally and advised children to travel in groups. Eligible students receive Rs 6,000 a year for transport, but parents say the amount cannot fund vehicles on the muddy, inaccessible route. Some now use two-wheelers, while others continue walking through wildlife habitat.
The Indian Opinion
The lazy version of this story is that villagers must simply accept wildlife risk, while another treats a transport allowance as a complete solution. Neither fits the facts. A payment cannot replace a usable road, and temporary tractor rides cannot provide daily safety. The immediate test is whether authorities create reliable transport and improve access before another child encounters a leopard or worse.
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
