Stakeholders devise strategies to mitigate human-animal conflict

DIMAPUR — Ntangki National Park (NNP), in collaboration with Peren Forest Division, organised a stakeholders meeting on mitigation of man-animal conflict in Jalukie town under Peren district on Friday with the participation of man-animal conflict afflicted villages along with civil society organisations and Police department.

The conservator of forest (HQ) and special guest of the meeting, Hemant Kamdi Baskar, spoke on behalf of the elephants and their rights and appealed to the stakeholders to respect their rights rather than having human centric approach to the problems for the reason that elephants being very important stakeholders are not represented.

He projected the analogy of human addiction to processed unhealthy food and that of forage optimisation of the elephants by raiding crops to connect the people with similar psychological behavior patterns between humans and animals. He also reminded the people about the sacrifices made by Openthung Jami, a forester, who succumbed to health issues while assisting people of Wokha in resolving human-elephant conflict, stated an update from Peren Forest Division.

Manish Bharti, the superintendent of police (SP), Peren, ascribed the issue of man-animal conflict as a result of encroachment on the animals’ habitat by human and urged to give space and protect them, which according to him is human greatest responsibility.

Pointing out that human evolved as much superior species than any other, he reminded that with the great power comes great responsibility to take care of other species like elephants.

He further expressed concerns over the never ending debate between development and conservation and urged upon the gathering to give due importance to conservation.

The president Nagaland Zeliang Public Organisation (NZPO), Kevipelie, who also spoke on the occasion, gave a chronological sequence on how the Ntangki reserved forests evolved into a national park. He also mentioned on how the local people living around the national park played crucial role in the protection and conservation of forests and wildlife.

T Aochuba, field director of NNP, expressed his desire to work hand-in-hand with the stakeholders and civil society organisations to mitigate the problems of man-animal conflict in the state.

He also made an elaborate powerpoint presentation on how to mitigate the conflicting situations by adopting ways and means including the techniques that are adopted in different part of India. He further highlighted the policies and steps taken by the government to mitigate the conflict by means of compensation for the crop damaged, injury to human and/or death due to such undesirable situation.

Report stated that there was serious discussion and experience sharing from the participants on the issue and concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Peter Jesuha Konyak.