Assam’s jumbo problem: Man-animal conflict takes a huge toll

Guwahati, March 8 (IANS) With the deaths of over a hundred elephants in a year due to unnatural reasons like being hit by trains and electrocution, followed by death of close to another hundred human beings in conflict with elephants in a year, Assam is seemingly looking at a jumbo problem with no immediate solution in sight.

While the Assam forest department has claimed to have taken several steps, including formation of local coordination committees in districts to monitor the movement of wild elephants, and created elephant depredation squads, a solution is seemingly far from sight.

“We are concerned about the deaths of wild elephants as well as humans due to the conflict. Steps are being taken by the department to stop the menace of human-elephant conflict as well as to stop other elephant deaths in the state,” Assam Forest Minister Pramila Rani Brahma said.

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