Human-Elephant Conflict: Odisha Govt To Train Villagers In Forest Areas

Bhubaneswar: To bring down the incidents of human-elephant conflicts, the Odisha government has decided to train villagers residing on the peripheries of sanctuaries.

Forest and Environment Secretary Mona Sharma told the media on Saturday that it has been decided that two members of the Bana Kalyan Samiti at each village inside forests and peripheries of sanctuaries will be given special training. These trained members will inform Forest officials about the movement of the elephant herds in their localities.

Notably, the Chief Wildlife Warden, Hari Shankar Upadhya, had said on Thursday that since the West Bengal government has been successful in bringing down the incidents of human-elephant conflicts, the Odisha government has decided to send a team of Forest officials to the neighbouring state this month.

He had also said that the state government has decided to procure special vehicles from West Bengal which will be used to rescue people from elephant attacks.