India, Jan. 6 -- Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday expressed concern over the rising incidents of human-wildlife conflict in the state, and directed officials to immediately complete hotspot mapping of sensitive districts, blocks and villages and take more effective steps to reduce such conflicts.

Chairing the 22nd meeting of the Uttarakhand State Wildlife Board at the secretariat, the chief minister said protecting human life and property, along with wildlife conservation, remains the government's top priority. He instructed the forest department and district administration to ensure a joint and coordinated monitoring mechanism in areas prone to conflict involving bears, leopards, tigers and elephants.

Dhami dir...