Skip to content Skip to navigation

Steps taken to mitigate man-elephant conflict

District level co ordination meeting on Man-elephant conflict held on February 7.The meeting was presided over by Sadhana Hojai,DC,Udalguri

Man-elephant conflict has been a burning issue in Assam during recent years.The only reason was massive destruction of forests and encroachment on all National Parks,Wildlife Sanctuaries, Reserve Forests, Proposed Reserve Forests,grazing fields and riverine lands.In northern areas of Udalguri district bordering Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh this man made conflict has been creating havoc during past five years ie from 2012 to 2016 with deaths of 85 human beings and 35 wild elephants beside damage of several hundred houses and crops.At the same time the district has witnessed massive encroachment on forest lands during the periods.As per official records out of 24,995 Hectors of lands belonging to wildlife sanctuary,reserve forests,proposed reserved forests (PRF),8762 Hectors have already been under encroachments.(1365 H in Khalingduar RF;2343 H in Rowta RF,155 H in Bhairabkunda RF,400 H in Bornadi WLS;920 H in Kundarbil PRF;3520 H in Bhairabkunda PRF;60 H in Newly PRF). No step to evict the encroachment had ever been taken by Assam government or BTC administration.Rather another 1000 Hector of lands belonging to Newly PRF have now been under process to be handed over to Ramdeb owned Patanjali group for establishment of a mega herbal park.Recently Assam government directed Dhansiri Forest Division,Udalguri to suggest measures well in advance for mitigation of Man-elephant conflict in the district.A 35 member district level committee has also been formed in advance with Deputy Commissioner,Udalguri as chairman;DFO,Udalguri as member secretary;Superintendent of Police,wildlife activists,all Range Officers,concerned VCDC presidents and gaonburahs etc as members.The first meeting of the committee was held recently at the conference hall of the Deputy Commissioner, Udalguri on February 7 which was presided over by Sadhana Hojai DC,Udalguri.The meeting was attended by MK Sarma,DFO,Dhansiri Forest Division,Udalguri;Anupam Choudhury, ADC,Udalguri; Bhaskar Jyoti Manta,ADC,Udalguri;Pranjal Bora,SDPO,Bhergaon;Debarshi Choudhury,DSP,Udalguri;Dibakar Das,ACF, Udalguri,wildlife activist  and senior journalist Jayanta Kumar Das etc.After detail discussion,the meeting adopted a few resolution suggesting Assam government and BTC authority regarding solution of the issue.Important suggestions were-1. Government to direct tea gargen managements of McLeod Russel India,Goodricke,Amalgamated TE (Tata) to sponsor at least one Kunki elephant each at the disposal of forest department during pick seasons of the conflict ie from July to December each year.The tea companies also be directed to maintain a plot of minimum 10 hectors of land with drinking water provision so that migratory herds of wild elephant herds could take shelter. 2.Government to recognise members of EOL (Elephants on the Line) who had been given training on wild elephant behaviour,GIS,GPS,wildlife photography and safety measures to be taken during chasing of wild elephants of six sectors of the district as volunteers supporting forest department keeping in view of the shortage of man power in the department. 3.Government immediately to identify vacant plots of lands adjoining to RF,PRF,WLS,revenue lands for creation of new grasslands with bamboo and banana plantation and more JFMC forests in order to provide shelter to wild elephants and to check further encroachment. 4.Anti depredation squads be formed in vulnerable villages frequently effected by the conflict comprising ten to twelve young youths of the villages under the leadership of the trained leaders to be headed by a forest officials. 5. Honorarium to members of the squads be sanctioned at least for six months in a year ie from July to December. 6.Funds also be made available for uniform,boots,jackets, torch lights,refreshments and transportation of the members. 7.The persons engaged in anti depredation squads must be covered by insurance to meet any kinds of accidents leading to death or injury. 8.A corpus fund with sufficient fund to be created to meet with immediate relief in case of deaths caused by wild elephants.The minimum  immediate relief towards deaths as provided earlier may be raised from Rs.5000/- to Rs.20,000/-.


 


 

Add new comment

Random Stories

10 Cong MLAs to join BJP

29 Aug 2015 - 10:02am | AT News
At least ten dissident Congress legislators are fully prepared to join BJP after Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma formally started the process. The sitting MLAs finalized the blueprint at a secret meeting...

Action against Bwiswmuthiary!

29 Mar 2014 - 4:40pm | Hantigiri Narzary
The Bodoland Peoples Front has given 48 hours ultimatum to Sansuma Khunggur Bwiswmuthiary for explanation over his statement of family centric which was why, he was denied ticket for the upcoming Lok...

5 ultras surrender in Karbi Anglong

23 Apr 2008 - 4:19am | editor
Five ultras including a hardcore ULFA cadre have surrendered before the authorities in Karbi Anglong district just before a while. According to information, 4 KLNLF insurgenta and an ULFA cadre...

AIUDF raps Delhi, Dispur for BTAD riot

30 Aug 2012 - 3:02am | editor
AIUDF has alleged that both Delhi and Dispur have failed to efficiently deal with the law and order situation in violence-hit areas. Talking to reporters in Guwahati on Wednesday, General Secretary...

Other Contents by Author

OIL India Duliajan football team won 22nd Bodoland Gallants Gold Cup Football Tournament played at Dimakuchi in Udalguri district today on September 24 defeating Reserve Bank of India,Mumbai by 4-1 goals in the final.The trophy carries with a cash amount of rupees fifty thousand.Rahul Das of Oil India team was adjusted best player of the final match.The tournament was organised by Dimakuchi Anchalik Committee,ABSU and Dimakuchi Sports Association.Biswajit Daimary,MP (RS) attended as the chief guest.Ganesh Kachary,EM,BTC and Mohesor Boro, MLA, Kalaigaon were also present.More than fifty thousand people enjoyed the final match.  
People of Kalaigaon hail Manashi Saharia a talented class six student of Udmari village in Kalaigaon for being qualified for the final round of audition in the Voice of India KIDS 2017 sponsored by Essel Vision Production,a Mumbai based TV production company. Daughter of musician parents Anupam Saharia and Jitu Moni Saharia of Udmari village,near Kalaigaon,Manashi had earlier qualified in the preliminary audition for North East region on September 3 in Guwahati. Later she could prove her talents in the eastern zone audition held in Kolkata city on September 11 to be qualified for the national audition to be held in Mumbai this month.It needs mentioning that she was adjudged as the Voice of...
The new school building of Corramore TE LP school was inaugurated on September 20 to much delight of the students and teachers.The building was inaugurated by Ramani Barua while Atul Sarma,Headmaster of the school prsided over the inaugural ceremony which was also attended by students and teachers of nearby schools of Corramore and Hatigarh.Ranjit Tanti, principal, Bright Star English School, Hatigarh attended the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest. Speaking on the occasion he recalled difficult days of the school during 2009, when even after the government approval, Corramore tea garden management didn't allow construction of the school building. He expressed regret that no...
On the occasion of "Swatchata Hi Sewa" celebration,the Udalguri district administration organized various programmes in the district including ceremonial distribution of grants of aids to affected people of the district.The central programme was held at Bhupen Hazarika Mukali Mancha,Harisinga on September 20.The days programme was started with the cleanliness drive at Harisinga hospital launched by Rihon Daimari, Minister, PHE,Food & Civil Supply,Assam at 11 am followed by the grants and aids distribution ceremony at 12 am. BJ Manta, ADC, Udalguri cum Project Director,i/c,DRDA,Udalguri conducted the oath taking ceremony where all people including the minister and officials took the...
Oil India,Duliajan and Laban Sports Club,Shillong will clash in the first semi final of the 22nd Bodoland Gallants Gold Cup Football tournament being played at Dimakuch stadium in Udalguri district tomorrow on September 21.In today's last quarter final match SSB, Siliguri defeated Jhalaguti Sports Club,Morigaon by 3-0 goals in a well attended match.The final match will be played on September 24.
In an attempt to make football popular among youths in the rural areas,the Darrang District BPF has taken up a few novel schemes to promote football in Darrang and Udalguri districts.A district level football competition in memory of late Chandika Barua and Late Jogamaya Kalita was organized in remote Bokrajhar village on Darrang Udalguri border recently.The final match was played between Namkhola and Rajapukhuri on September 17 at Bokrajhar village play ground in presence of several thousands of spectators.Maheswar Boro,MLA, Kalaigaon attended the final match as the chief guest. Mahesh Deka,secretary of Darrang district BPF committee,on the occasion declared that BPF would give priority...
In a sensational move AASU Udalguri district committee has expelled four top officals of AASU Kalaigaon anchalik committee including its president and secretary for anti constitutional activities.In a press release issued by Pranjal Patowari,president and Saiful Haque, secretary of AASU Udalguri district committee,it was declared that Manoj Kumar Deka,Advisor;Gauri Kanta Nath, president;Ranjan Sarma,secretary and Nilotpal Hazarika,Asstt secretary of AASU Kalaigaon anchalik committee have been expelled from the primary membership of AASU and the executive committee has also been dissolved with immediate effect.The press release further stated that tough actions had to be taken against the...
ABSU rejects AKRSU (P) recent remark challenging government to show courage by arresting ABSU president Pramod Boro,while condemning arrest of KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi.In a press release, Dipen Boro,vice president of ABSU central committee requested AKRSU (P) leaders to refrain from making irrelevant press statements mentioning ABSU and its members.Releasing a press release at Udalguri on September 16,he said that Pradip Roy,president and Gokul Barman, secretary of AKRSU (P) had issued a press release at Bongaigaon recently.While condemning government for provocative arrest of Ahil Gogoi as an anti national, AKRSU (P) leaders dared Assam government to show courage to arrest ABSU...
A day long seminar on sports journalism was held at the Conference Hall of the office of the SDO (Civil),Bheraon sub-division on September 15 with day long activities.The seminar titled-"Sports Journalism as a Medium for Skill Development for the Human Resources of Assam" was organized by Assam Sports Journalist Association in collaboration with State Level Advisory Committee (Students and Youth Welfare),Govt of Assam and in association with Bhergaon civil administration and Bhergaon Press Club.The seminar was meant for students interested in sports journalism and for the creation of a sporting atmosphere in the society for the promotion of games and sports and health care in villages.On...
A field base biodiversity workshop for college students,HoD of Botany and Zoology departments of colleges,officials of environmental NGOs of Darrang and Udalguri districts was held in JFMC man made forest at Bhairabkunda near Assam-Bhtan-Arunachal border meet point on September 14 with day long activities.The activities were organized by ATREE (Ashoka Trust For Research in Ecology and the Environment) in association with Aryabhatta Science Centre (ASTEC,Assam),Udalguri district branch and Udalguri district administration.The inaugural ceremony of the workshop was held at the Conference Hall of the Deputy Commissioner,Udalguri at 10 am.Jayanta Das of ASC,Udalguri welcomed all the...