Ensure zero human death in elephant attacks: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren orders officials

Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has expressed concerns over the rising number of casualties due to man-elephant conflicts in the state and directed officials to develop a mechanism to ensure that no human death occurs due to attacks by the animal.

Around 27 people died due to elephant attacks in several districts, including Ramgarh, Bokaro, Hazaribag, Chaibasa, Jamshedpur, Lohardaga, Gumla and Dumka, in the past few months, which is a "matter of serious concern", he said.

Soren on Saturday held a high-level meeting with top forest officers, a day after seven people, including four members of a family, were trampled to death by a herd of wild elephants in a village in Hazaribag district.

The chief minister directed the officials to carry out mapping of all elephant corridors in the state and asked them to impart specialised technical training to villagers in the affected areas, where tuskers are causing damage to properties and killing people.

He said trained people can also be included in the elephant rescue teams.

"Comprehensive steps must also be initiated to stop elephants from entering or straying into rural areas," Soren told officials.

The CM also said that if any person dies in an animal attack, the victim's family should receive the full compensation amount within 12 days of the incident.

Soren instructed officers to furnish complete data to the state government on the number of human casualties and the corresponding compensation disbursed in man-elephant conflict cases over the past five years.

"Our government is very sensitive towards incidents of man-elephant conflicts," he said.

The forest officials informed the chief minister that they were working on a quick and responsible mechanism for elephant rescue.

They said that six 'Kumki' elephants, trained jumbos, are being brought to Jharkhand to drive away, capture or rescue wild tuskers.

Informing the CM about the Hazaribag incident, the officials said the herd comprising five elephants is very aggressive.

"As many as 70 teams have been deployed to manage the situation," an official said.

The number of man-elephant conflicts increased in Jharkhand over the past two months. A single rogue tusker claimed the lives of 20 people in West Singhbhum district in January, while a female jumbo killed five persons in Bokaro district this month.

Man-elephant conflicts in Jharkhand have left as many as 474 people dead since the 2019-20 fiscal, according to a government report.