Hema Malini to take up the cause of leopards

Jun 20, 2011 IANS

Mumbai, June 20 (IANS) Hema Malini was not at home when a leopard strayed into her bungalow at Dindoshi, Goregaon from the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) last month. Now the veteran actress is geared up to take up the cause of the big cats.

"I'm very concerned about animals because we are encroaching their place and spoiling it. The government's job is to fence the entire Sanjay Gandhi National Park but they haven't done that yet. It is important that we do something about this because every now and then we come to hear about this that a leopard has come out of National Park," the 62-year-old, who entertained the leopard May 27, told reporters here.

"I have already spoken to Forest Minister Patangrao Kadam ji. When I spoke to him, he was abroad. He is coming back soon and then we will have a meeting and I'm going to take this issue up. I want everyone's support for this because everyone should help so that animals are safe in their place. We should not encroach their place," she added.

According to reports, since January there have been more than seven incidents of leopards venturing out of their 100 sq km SGNP territory and were traced in residential colonies at Film City, Aarey Milk Colony, Dahisar, Borivli, Kandivli, Malad, Goregaon, Mulund and Bhandup.

Hema also revealed that she has heard that moonshine is made in some areas of SGNP, because of which it has not been fenced properly.

"I've heard that there are people who make illicit liquor in that area because of that they break the fence and go in and the police is not doing anything. Police should do something to stop this," said the actress.