Man-elephant conflict New issue in Maharashtra. Forest Deptt working out complete new protocol.

By Kaushik Bhattacharya

The recent death of a wild elephant in Chitki village in Sindewahi forest range of Chandrapur Circle compelled the State Forest Department to put more mitigation efforts on man-elephant conflict issue which is sprouting in Maharashtra and especially in Vidarbha in recent time. There is no existence of wild elephants in Maharashtra for decades. But, the wild elephants enter in Maharashtra from Karnataka side, and this is going on since 2004. Currently, there are seven wild elephants residing in Kolhapur and Sindhudurg districts of Maharashtra. However, a herd of 24 wild elephants entered Gadchiroli district from Chhattisgarh a couple of years ago. The presence of 24 tuskers’ has become a matter of concern as the State Forest Department has no proper expertise and experience to handle this big wild animal.

The movement of the herd in Gadchiroli district causing property and human life loss at different level. The incidents of crop loss, property loss, and human life loss were mainly observed in Gadchiroli, Wadsa, Gondia and Kolhapur districts of Maharashtra. Due to this herd, there are two human deaths took place so far. “It is a new challenge before us. The Forest Department has to think on new dimension to curb man-elephant conflict in the State. We have to make new policy, rules and regulations to handle losses that take place due to wild elephants,” Sailesh Tembhurnikar, Head of Forest Force, Maharashtra Government told ‘The Hitavada’. “The recent wild elephant death in Sindhewahi posed a new challenge before us. Currently we are treating this incident as per the protocol of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). But there is a requirement to train our men to handle wild elephants rescue and we are thinking in this regard,” said Tembhurnikar. “The Department has lost one of its staffers and we have distributed Rs 1.15 crore so far as compensation to victims who suffered losses due to wild elephants,” he added.

“Tigers never attack in village or home. They just attack when a person is in forest area. But elephants enter farm lands, spoil crops, kill humans and destroy houses in villages which is a new threat for villagers in Vidarbha. Currently, we are paying damages to victims as per the existing rule for their losses, but some changes are needed in this regard too,” said the HoFF. The Forest Department is regularly conducting awareness in affected villages of Gondia and Gadchiroli districts. The Forest Department is going to form a special patrolling team to stop wild elephants from entering human settlements. The team will be equipped with tranquillising guns, thermal drones, fire crackers, and fire torchesto keep wild elephants away from humans settlements.