Junagadh:

Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) (PCCF) of Gujarat G K Sinha today said that the state government was highly concerned about the incidents of illegal Simh Darshan (Lion Sighting) and harassment of lions in and around Gir forests.

Addressing a press conference here today he said that such cases would be registered as serious offense under wildlife protection act and strict action would be taken against the culprits.

He said that on the all the checkposts of Gir forests intensified checking was done to check the illegal entrants.In the last six months a total of seven cases of illegal Simh Darshan have been reported. Four people have been arrested in one such case for making video clips of illegal simh darshan in Semardi area. The forest department after the incident of killing of Gir lions in 2007 has taken steps to check any repetition of it.

As per the last lion census of 2015 the total number of lions in and around Gir forests was 523 of which 356 were in the protected area while the remaining 167 were living outside it. During last year 126092 tourists including 6312 foreigners had visited Gir forest, Sinha added.

DeshGujarat