Photo used for representational purposes
More than 500 people and 100 elephants die every year due to conflict with each other, officials of the environment ministry said today.
ADVERTISEMENT
Releasing the figures at an event ahead of World Elephant Day on August 12, the officials said interactions between humans and elephants have led to the death of both.
As per the last census conducted in 2017, India is home to 30,000 elephants.
Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said elephant conservation is vital as it balances the ecosystem.
u00e0u00a4u00b9u00e0u00a4u00beu00e0u00a4u00a5u00e0u00a4u00bfu00e0u00a4u00afu00e0u00a5u008bu00e0u00a4u0082 u00e0u00a4u0095u00e0u00a5u0087 u00e0u00a4u00b8u00e0u00a4u0082u00e0u00a4u00b0u00e0u00a4u0095u00e0u00a5u008du00e0u00a4u00b7u00e0u00a4u00a3 u00e0u00a4u0095u00e0u00a5u0087 u00e0u00a4u00acu00e0u00a5u0087u00e0u00a4u00b9u00e0u00a4u00a4u00e0u00a4u00b0u00e0u00a5u0080u00e0u00a4u00a8 u00e0u00a4u00a4u00e0u00a5u008cu00e0u00a4u00b0 u00e0u00a4u00a4u00e0u00a4u00b0u00e0u00a5u0080u00e0u00a4u0095u00e0u00a5u008bu00e0u00a4u0082 u00e0u00a4u00aau00e0u00a4u00b0 u00e0u00a4u0086u00e0u00a4u00a7u00e0u00a4u00beu00e0u00a4u00b0u00e0u00a4u00bfu00e0u00a4u00a4 u00e0u00a4u00a6u00e0u00a4u00b8u00e0u00a5u008du00e0u00a4u00a4u00e0u00a4u00beu00e0u00a4u00b5u00e0u00a5u0087u00e0u00a4u009c u00e0u00a4u00b5 u00e0u00a4u00b9u00e0u00a4u00beu00e0u00a4u00a5u00e0u00a5u0080 u00e0u00a4u0094u00e0u00a4u00b0 u00e0u00a4u00aeu00e0u00a4u00beu00e0u00a4u00a8u00e0u00a4u00b5 u00e0u00a4u0095u00e0u00a5u0087 u00e0u00a4u00acu00e0u00a5u0080u00e0u00a4u009a u00e0u00a4u009fu00e0u00a4u0095u00e0u00a4u00b0u00e0u00a4u00beu00e0u00a4u00b5 u00e0u00a4u00aau00e0u00a5u008du00e0u00a4u00b0u00e0u00a4u00acu00e0u00a4u0082u00e0u00a4u00a7u00e0u00a4u00a8 u00e0u00a4u00aau00e0u00a4u00b0 u00e0u00a4u008fu00e0u00a4u0095 u00e0u00a4u00aau00e0u00a5u008bu00e0u00a4u00b0u00e0u00a5u008du00e0u00a4u009fu00e0u00a4u00b2 u00e0u00a4u00aeu00e0u00a5u0087u00e0u00a4u00b0u00e0u00a5u0087 u00e0u00a4u00b8u00e0u00a4u00beu00e0u00a4u00a5u00e0u00a5u0080 MoS @moefcc @SuPriyoBabul u00e0u00a4u0095u00e0u00a5u0087 u00e0u00a4u00b8u00e0u00a4u00beu00e0u00a4u00a5 u00e0u00a4u00b2u00e0u00a4u00beu00e0u00a4u0082u00e0u00a4u009a u00e0u00a4u0095u00e0u00a4u00bfu00e0u00a4u00afu00e0u00a4u00beu00e0u00a5u00a4 #WorldElephantDay2020 pic.twitter.com/it56eH61vK
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) August 10, 2020
Elephants have to be kept in forests for which fodder and water augmentation programme has been initiated, the minister said, adding that by next year results will start showing.
Union Minister of State for Environment Babul Supriyo condemned the May 27 incident in Kerala where a pregnant elephant died after consuming a firecracker-filled pineapple.
"We must protect our elephants. The Kerala incident was inhuman and such criminal acts will be dealt with. The ministry and states have zero tolerance approach to such activities and I am sure exemplary punishment will be given to the culprit," Supriyo said.
Giving out the figures of deaths due to human-elephant conflict, Additional Director General of Forests (Wildlife) Soumitra Dasgupta said hundreds of elephants migrate and come in contact with human beings.
"More than 500 human and 100 elephant deaths take place each year due to the conflict. In last five years, the ministry has unleashed a series of activities for the conservation of elephants. More elephant corridors have been identified, budget has been increased by 30 per cent and several committees have also been formed," said Dasgupta.
During the event, Javadekar also released a booklet on best practices of human-elephant conflict management and launched the national portal of project elephant which will have all the data and details of elephant movements.
Keep scrolling to read more news
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.
Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever