New Delhi: Union Minister for Environment Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav has said human-elephant conflict is increasing in India and it is “unfortunate” that on average 500 people killed annually by elephant, about 100 elephants are killed in retaliation by people.
“To find a long-term solution, government is revisiting the elephant corridors of the country and have finished more than 50% of the task involving key stakeholders in this endeavour” the Minister informed, while speaking during the celebration on World Elephant day – 2022 at Periya national park on Friday in, Kerala.
Yadav said, “The Government of India recognizes that welfare of people is at the heart of elephant conservation in India.
“At the same time the government is reaching out to the families of the victims affected by elephants and in this direction government has increased the ex-gratia from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh” he said.
Union Minister further reiterated that our association with elephants is ancient, valued and revered, adding that Elephants are also critical to the sustenance of our wildlife and biodiversity and India places a very high premium on the conservation of the jumbos.
The Union Minister informed the audience that India has the largest and the most stable population of Asian elephants. In fact, more than 60% of wild Asian elephants are in India.
The population of 29,964 elephants as recorded in the last elephant census conducted in 2017 speaks volumes of the passion for wildlife conservation ingrained in Indian culture.
“We have some of the best laws to protect elephants and their habitats. We have the most amazing people who love and worship elephants”, said the Minister.
Union Minister further said that India has 31 Elephant Reserves and in the last 3 years, Dandeli Elephant Reserve has been notified by the state of Karnataka, Singphan Elephant Reserve by Nagaland and LemruElephant Reserve in Chhattisgarh.
This has brought the total area under Elephant Reserves in India to about 76,508 sqkm across 14 states of the country.
He also shared that India is going to witness the establishment of one more Elephant Reserve, the Agasthiyamalai in Tamil Nadu, adding yet another 1197 sqkm of Protected Area dedicated for protection and conservation of elephants in India.
For the first time in an initiative taken by the minister “Gaj Gaurav award” was also conferred for the commendable efforts of local communities, frontline staff and mahouts working at grass root level to conserve elephants in wild and captivity.
This year the Malasar Community belonging to the Anamalai of Tamil Nadu and mahouts of Kerala and Assam were awarded the Gaj Gaurav award by the Union Minister.
On the issue of Western Ghats, a committee had been appointed to take a holistic approach to Kasturirangan and Gadgil Committee Report and to consider the representation given by the people.
Union Minister, Yadav also informed that the Wildlife Protection Act has been amended and passed by Lok Sabha recently and there is a provision that mentions that use of elephants for the religious purpose will be continued with certain guidelines of Government of India and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
