Ranchi: Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren directed officials to devise a mechanism ensuring no human fatalities from elephant attacks, following a surge in man-elephant conflicts that claimed 27 lives across several districts in recent months.
Soren issued the orders during a high-level meeting on Saturday, a day after a herd trampled seven people — including four family members — in Hazaribag district. Affected areas include Ramgarh, Bokaro, Hazaribag, Chaibasa, Jamshedpur, Lohardaga, Gumla, and Dumka, with recent incidents like a rogue tusker killing 20 in West Singhbhum in January and a female elephant claiming five in Bokaro this month.
The chief minister mandated mapping all elephant corridors in the state and directed officials to impart specialised technical training to villagers in affected areas where wild elephants are causing damage to properties and killing people.
He said trained people can also be included in the elephant rescue teams.
“Comprehensive steps must also be initiated to stop elephants from entering or straying into rural areas,” Soren told officials.
The CM also said that if any person dies in an animal attack, the victim’s family should receive the full compensation amount within 12 days of the incident.
The forest officials informed the chief minister that they were working on a quick and responsible mechanism for elephant rescue.
They said that six ‘Kumki’ elephants, trained jumbos, are being brought to Jharkhand to drive away, capture or rescue wild tuskers.
Informing the CM about the Hazaribag incident, the officials said the herd comprising five elephants is very aggressive.
“As many as 70 teams have been deployed to manage the situation,” an official said.
