Forest authorities discuss strategies to solve elephant-human conflict

Dimapur, Feb. 27 (EMN): A seminar to discuss mitigation of the “human-elephant conflict” in Nagaland, particularly in Wokha district, was conducted at the Hammock Resort in Wokha town, on February 27. The event was organised by the Forest department. Officers from the district administration, police; Forest, and Agriculture departments; and chairmen and members of villages affected by the human-elephant conflict, where among those who attended the event, the organisers informed. A press release from the establishment of the principal chief conservator of Forest on Wednesday offered updates about the event. Noyal Thomas, an inspector general of Forests and director of the Environment, Forest & Climate Change ministry’s Project Elephant, was the “special invitee” of the programme, the updates stated. In his address during the event, Thomas said that both the government of India and the government of Nagaland were well aware and concerned with the protracted problem of ‘human–elephant conflict’ prevalent in the region. The ministry will extend all possible assistance for mitigation of the conflict, he said. Thomas appealed to the villagers not to harm the elephants, but follow adoptive cropping ‘patterns.’ He said that the state government should ‘timely release’ the funds given for this purpose. He assured that the ministry will take up the matter of timely release of funds with the state government so that the conflict prevalent in the district can be addressed. According to the press release, the official informed that the ministry would try to allocate more funds for Nagaland and particularly for Wokha district in regard to the issue. Forest department officials and village representatives should visit Garo Hills Elephant Reserve in Meghalaya, as suggested by the Wokha district forest officer in the annual action plan for 2019-20, the press release stated. The chief wildlife warden of Nagaland, Satya Prakash Tripathi spoke in his key note address about the genesis of the human animal conflict prevalent in the state in general and “elephant problem” in Wokha district in particular. Likewise, the press release said that he highlighted the policies of the state government and the central government to address the problem. Among other things, he talked also about assessment and payment of compensation, and possible solutions to the problem. “He appealed to the people for protection of forest and wildlife and to contact forest officials immediately in case of damage of their crop/ properties/ human life. He also made power presentation on the status of community reserves in the state of Nagaland,” the press release stated. Chonpenthung Ezung, subdivision officer (civil), said farmers in Wokha are dependent on subsistence agriculture and not commercial farming. When elephants raid their fields and destroys crops and property, the farmers’ entire livelihood gets affected, he said. The district administration also gives help to affected villagers but the funds that are given are meagre, he said. He requested the central government to look into the matter. He suggested preparing concrete guidelines for ‘coexistence of man and elephants as well as to create a method of tracking elephant movements so as to avoid human death incidents,’ the press release stated. Zuthunglo Patton, district forest office for Wokha requested the director of Project Elephant, to give special consideration to Wokha district as ‘it holds more than 2/3rd of the population of elephants in Nagaland.’ The press release quoted her as having said that the locals there had been suffering almost daily. Further, there were interactions during the discussion hour of the programme during which officers responded to questions raised by the public, the updates stated.