To minimise man-animal conflict, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Tuesday asked officials concerned to increase the staff strength of elephant task forces and also to fit radio collars on wild elephants that repeatedly stray into human settlements.
The Minister issued instructions at a meeting of top-ranking forest officials in Bengaluru to take stock of the man-animal conflict situation. He expressed concern over five persons dying due to elephant attacks since August 13.
He stressed upon the need for preventive measures to ensure human safety and also prevent death of wild animals due to shock from electric fences or strangulation when they get struck in fences. The minister asked the officials to increase the staff strength of elephant task forces in areas like Chamarajanagar and Kodagu district which are facing serious problems.
The officials explained that presently 14 elephants with history of frequenting human settlements had been fitted with radio collars, which had helped in tracing their movement. They pointed out that the Forest Department had now been left with 30 radio collars. Each radio collars would cost around ₹7 lakh, they said.
The officials also observed that erecting rail barricade fences on forest borders had turned out to be an effective mechanism to prevent animals from entering human settlements.
