Mumbai, Feb 25 (NationPress) Maharashtra's Forest Minister, Ganesh Naik, revealed in the Legislative Assembly that the state witnessed the demise of 41 tigers in 2025 due to various factors. These include natural causes, accidents, electrocution, and poaching.

In a written response to an Assembly inquiry, Minister Naik detailed that out of the total fatalities, 28 were linked to natural causes, 8 resulted from accidents, 4 were due to electrocution, and 1 tiger fell victim to poaching.

The inquiry aimed to uncover the specifics of tiger fatalities in Maharashtra and the government’s strategies to mitigate deaths caused by accidents, electrocution, and poaching.

Naik confirmed that numerous initiatives have been enacted to safeguard wildlife, especially from railway-related incidents.

He mentioned that the Railways has been directed to develop underpasses and overpasses in forested areas alongside newly proposed railway routes.

Moreover, a speed limit of 40 km/h has been instituted for trains traversing forest regions to lower the chances of wildlife collisions.

To combat poaching, the minister noted that ongoing patrols are conducted by the Special Tiger Protection Force.

Informants have been designated at the range level to collect intelligence on poaching activities, while communication systems have been established in sensitive areas to enhance surveillance.

Checkpoints have been set up in critical areas to inspect vehicles and monitor suspicious movements.

A bi-weekly monitoring initiative is underway to observe the movements of tigers and leopards at the range.

The minister added that temporary camps of nomadic groups near villages are also monitored as a part of these preventive efforts.

Camera traps have been placed along tiger corridors, at waterholes, and other vital locations to observe wildlife movements and detect any dubious activities.

Water sources within forest territories are routinely checked to avert poisoning incidents, he stated.

Meanwhile, members of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly have called for stringent actions against those involved in illegal prenatal sex determination and female foeticide, advocating for the application of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

During a calling attention motion, NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad raised alarms regarding the declining gender ratio and urged the government to categorize illegal sex determination as organized crime.

He argued that these activities are orchestrated by coordinated networks and should be addressed under strict legal frameworks such as MCOCA.

In a written response, Public Health Minister Prakash Abitkar outlined the government’s actions, which include enhanced registration and inspection of sonography centers, toll-free helplines, complaint portals, rewards for informants, sting operations, awareness campaigns, and prosecution of offenders.

While several Opposition MLAs, including Babasaheb Deshmukh of the Peasants and Workers Party and Congress MLA Jyoti Gaikwad, voiced support for tougher legal measures, Abitkar clarified that the Maharashtra Regulation of Use of Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1988, has sufficient provisions to tackle such offenses.

He noted that the government would persist in strengthening enforcement but did not commit to invoking MCOCA for these cases.