BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has decided to build a world-class veterinary hospital for wildlife in Chandka forest area, on the outskirts of the City. This was decided at the State-level meeting on ‘elephant protection and conservation in Odisha’ held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy here on Saturday.“The hospital would be developed into a centre of excellence with advance knowledge, equipment, research and development activities,” said Additional Chief Secretary, Forest and Environment, Mona Sharma.
It has been decided to develop two of the 14 elephant corridors in the State, Similipal-Hadgarh and Barunai-Nuagada, informed Sharma.“As per a study conducted by Asian Nature Conservation Foundation Center for Ecological Sciences of IIS, Bangalore, around 1700-1800 elephants can be sustainably managed within larger forest landscapes of the State,” said Wildlife PCCF H S Upadhaya.
The elephant population in Odisha has shown an upward trend during last seven years. In 1999, the elephant population was around 1,827 which increased to 1,862 in 2007, 1,930 in 2012 and further to 1,976 in 2017.The meeting resolved to intensify elephant protection and conservation activities in elephant habitats like Mahanadi, Mayurbhanj and Sambalpur elephant reserves spread over around 8,509 sq km through plantation of the species generally consumed by the elephants.
Around 23 plant species were identified and listed. The proposal for weed eradication, meadow development, fodder plantation along with creation of more water bodies were also approved.Considering the present forest spread and elephant population, the Chief Secretary directed to adopt ‘focused intervention approach’ for development of elephant habitats.As more elephants die of electrocution, Tripathy asked DFOs and Discoms for regular coordination to minimise such accidents and drastic action against miscreants killing pachyderms by hanging live wire with an ulterior motive.