Amid the presence of a herd of 15 to 16 elephants in Maharashtra's Gondia district, the forest authorities have increased patrolling and monitoring in the region to prevent man-animal conflict, an official said on Monday.

Last year alone, the administration in Gondia spent Rs 61.26 lakh towards compensation for the damages caused by jumbos, while it has also additionally spent on increased patrolling, monitoring, public awareness campaign etc., the official said.