BHUBANESWAR: The Project Elephant under MoEFCC is mulling to propose development of wildlife highways’ to create safe passage for wildlife in the country. Addressing the 11th foundation day of Save Elephant Foundation Trust here, Project Elephant director Ramesh Kumar Pandey said around 20 identified landscapes connecting wildlife highways of 2,000 to 3,000 km can be created for the movement of wildlife.
Pandey said the idea, which is still at nascent stage, had been deliberated in the 17th meeting of the Steering Committee of Project Elephant at Periyar in Kerala in August where it was proposed that delineating certain corridors will help in the movement of wild animals.
Pandey also informed that they are planning to hold the next steering committee meeting of the Project Elephant in Odisha where PCCFs from all states will sit together to deliberate on ground level implementation of different projects under Project Elephant.
Underlining the ongoing human-elephant conflict in the state, he suggested the Forest and Environment department to assess the ‘communication and response timing’ of field level forest staff in such cases to prevent further escalation. “If we are not getting information regarding an incident on time, there is something serious in our management,” he said.
Forest and Environment Minister Pradeep Amat, who joined as the chief guest, said that Public-Private Community-Partnership (PPCP) model would be ideal for resolving the human-elephant conflict,
“Human-elephant conflict is increasing and has become a menace in some parts of the state. Elephants are an integral part of our eco-system and if it disappears, no other species can fill up the ecological niche,” he said.
Founder of the Trust and member Lokayukta Debabrata Swain said compassionate grant is not sufficient in conflict cases for which adequate compensation should be provided to those who have suffered loss.
PCCF and HoFF Debidutta Biswal and PCCF Wildlife SK Popli also spoke. Retired IFS officer and trustee Jitasatru Mohanty also stressed on mitigation measures to check man-wildlife conflict.