Khandre: Sure of tackling human-jumbo conflict

The Karnataka Forest Department was in the limelight during the tenure of the Basavaraj Bommai Government due to the deaths of people in leopard attacks and man-elephant conflict in several districts.

The then CM Basavaraj Bommai had constituted a Leopard Task Force to deal with the increasing menace of leopards, as well as the Elephant Task Force. New Forest Minister and senior Congress leader, Eshwar Khandre has now prepared a blueprint to increase forest cover in the coming years. He spoke to Shyam Sundar Vattam of News Trail and shared his views.

News Trail: One of the biggest challenges the State is facing is man-animal conflict. What plans do you have to tackle this issue?

Eshwar Khandre: Man-elephant confrontation has been there in the areas adjacent to the forests. During May, June, and July, the jumbos usually come to human habitats in search of jackfruit, banana, and coffee beans. A lot of steps have been initiated to prevent the elephants from entering villages.

Rail barricades have been erected to prevent pachyder ms from venturing out of forests. The hanging fences and solar fences have been installed along the village periphery. Regarding the leopard menace, the forest department has placed cages to capture them. Some more measures are in the pipeline.

The Elephant Task Force is being constituted to drive back wild elephants into forests. A plan has been prepared to install barricades for a distance of 641 km of which the work on 310 km had been completed. The rest will be completed soon in a phased manner.

NT: On one hand, the government is forming an elephant task force and on the other hand, the elephant menace is increasing in five to six districts.

EK: Prima facie it looks the number of wild elephants coming to villages is increasing every day. According to an estimate, there are more than 6030 elephants out of which only 100-120 jumbos raid human habitats. The attacks and damage by elephants is very less in Karnataka compared with other states like West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh where the herds attack villages frequently.

The constitution of the Elephant Task Force will help in driving back wild jumbos into forests immediately and also check the damage to crops and loss of human lives. Recently, I visited a village near Channapatna in Ramanagar district where two agricultural labourers were trampled to death by the wild jumbos and distributed compensation of Rs 15 lakh to the families of two persons.

NT: As you are aware, the elephant corridor had been either destroyed or encroached upon due to which the elephants raid villages. Any plans for the reclamation of that land to restore the elephant corridors?

EK: The encroachment or destruction of the elephant corridor has not come to my notice. In some places, there is a dispute over the ownership of land whether it is Gomala or forest land. The only solution to this controversy is a joint survey by the revenue and forest departments. If there is any encroachment of the notified and existing elephant corridor it will be removed without any mercy.

NT: Do you think that solar fencing and railway track barricades have failed to check the entry of elephants into villages? Are you planning to have a new approach to tackle this issue?

EK: Experts have opined that the rail barricade is the best method to prevent jumbos from visiting villages. The pachyderms are so intelligent that they will throw a piece of wood on the solar fence and cross it. For this reason, the department is erecting the hanging solar fence.

There is a big shortage of used railway tracks to build the barricades. There is a proposal to construct big-sized stone walls all along the forest border to stop wild jumbos from coming out. The pros and cons of this proposal are being studied. The department is ready with the solar fencing, rail barricade, and Elephant Proof Trenches but is also open to new ideas to address this issue. We aim to protect precious lives and save crops grown by farmers.

NT: Of late the menace of leopards is increasing in most parts of the State. Did the Leopard Task Force do anything to check the menace? Any plans to have a leopard safari on the lines of lion and tiger safaris?

EK: The leopard menace is rampant in hillocks in forest areas. It is more in T. Narasipur taluk of Mysuru district. The cages are supplied to capture leopards alive and they are translocated. The idea of having the leopard safari in various sanctuaries along the lines of Tiger and Lion safaris will be discussed.

NT: Any plans for a survey of leopards in Karnataka?

EK: