‘Elephant attacks killed 199 people in 5 years in Chhattisgarh’

Raipur, December 21

Chhattisgarh Forest Minister Mahesh Gagda on Thursday told the state Assembly that 199 people had died in elephant attacks in the state in the past five years.

The minister was replying to a question raised during Question Hour by Congress MLA Arun Vora.

Vora also sought the details of the damage caused to houses and crops by elephants as well as compensation paid to the victims.

In his reply, Gagda said, “Seventeen districts are affected by the menace of wild elephants. In these districts, 199 people were killed in elephant attacks and 7000 houses and crops spread over 32952.891 hectares was damaged in the last five years.”

He added that that the state government had disbursed a total compensation of Rs 39,49,85,650 to the victims in this connection.

He said that several measures were being undertaken to curb the menace.

“In villages facing the problem of human-elephant conflict, awareness campaigns comprising street plays, rallies, workshops etc are being conducted,” he said.

Villagers are being informed about the movement and location of wild elephants in their areas through Akashvani centres, he added.

He said that the forest department was also taking suggestions from the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India for preventive measures.

“After the Assembly session, a team of officials will be sent to Karnataka to seek the latter’s support in this direction. Six trained elephants will also be brought from Karnataka,” Gagda said.

He added that an elephant rescue and rehabilitation centre was being set up in Tamor Pingla sanctuary in Surguja district for the training of wild tuskers who frequently stray into human settlements, he added. — PTI