Smriti Van closed for joggers after sighting of leopard

Jaipur: The forest department closed Smriti Van situated on Jawahar Lal Nehru (JLN) Marg for people after sighting of a leopard over the past two days. The forest department teams had set up trap cameras to track the leopard, but to no avail. Officials said that keeping in view the security of the people, this popular jogging park has been closed for a few days until the wild animal is not caught.

The leopard was first seen in Lalit Kala Academy situated adjacent to Smriti Van on Friday. She killed a dog following which an alert was sounded. A cage was set up in Lalit Kala Academy, but when the animal couldn’t be trapped it was shifted to Smriti Van.

“We have put up notices outside Smriti Van asking people to stay away until the leopard is caught. It is for their security. Forest department teams are searching for the leopard,” said a forest department officer.

There are over 100 offices in Jhalana Institutional Area where thousands of people work. It is for the first time that leopards have stayed into residential colonies in Jhalana in search of food and water. There are about 25 leopards in the Jhalana forest reserve. One of the main reasons these animals stray into the residential areas is the lack of food and water in the forest area. The government has spent crores of rupees on Project Leopard, but the problem of the lack of food and water is yet to be resolved.

“Rs 5 crore have already been spent on Project Leopard, but nothing has been done to provide food and water to the animals,” said Rahul Vashishatha, a wild-life activist.