Strengthen task force to check man-elephant conflict: Eshwar B Khandre

In the wake of a series of conflicts with elephants that have left five persons dead, Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar B Khandre on Tuesday ordered the department to strengthen the Elephant Task Force and radio collar the problematic elephants.

During a meeting with senior officials of the department, the minister expressed concern over the increasing man-animal conflict and the resulting trail of casualties.

He noted that the conflict is also leading to animal deaths due to electrocution or snares.

Khandre suggested the officials to enhance the use of technology to minimise conflict situations.

"There is a need for sending alerts to the people in real-time about the sighting of elephants in human habitats and efforts should be made to send the animals back to the forest. This will minimise casualties," he added.

The officials briefed the minister on the situation in Chamarajanagar and Kodagu districts. Efforts are on to track a few problematic elephants repeatedly raiding crops or entering villages. Radio collars have been installed on 14 such elephants to monitor their movements, they said. 

Khandre noted the need to strengthen the elephant task force in districts where the conflict was recurring. He instructed the officials to use the remaining 30 radio collars, procured by the department, to monitor the other elephants involved in conflicts.

The minister also sought details on the railway barricades installed to prevent the straying of elephants into human habitats.