Triumph Over Conflict: Jashpur's Innovative Approach to Human-Elephant Harmony

Efforts in Jashpur, Chhattisgarh, to mitigate human-elephant conflict have yielded no loss of life over two years. The success is attributed to elephant trackers and rapid response teams formed under Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. Collaborative efforts with villagers have notably reduced incidents of conflict.

In a groundbreaking achievement in Jashpur, Chhattisgarh, the District Forest Officer (DFO) Jitendra Upadhyay commended local tracker teams for achieving zero loss of life in ongoing human-elephant conflicts over the past two years. According to Upadhyay, the region, known as the 'gateway of Chhattisgarh', was once considered a high-risk zone for such incidents.

Trackers, formed under the directive of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, are successfully minimizing conflicts between humans and elephants. A rapid response team supports these efforts by swiftly addressing potential incidents, resulting in a significant decrease in fatalities among both humans and animals.

DFO Upadhyay highlighted the effective collaboration between forest staff, villagers, and local representatives as pivotal in understanding elephant behavior and promoting coexistence. Residents like Tikeshwar Chauhan and elephant tracker Rajesh Ram Yadav are integral in spreading awareness and guiding residents to avoid danger, further ensuring the safety of both elephants and humans.

(With inputs from agencies.)