Jaleswar: Forest Department officials from Odisha and neighbouring West Bengal participated in an inter-state discussion on the human-animal conflicts in their respective states and find ways and means to deal with the problem.
A rise in human-elephant conflict was witnessed during the last 10 months in 6 ranges, including Jaleswar, Rasgobindpur, and Deuli in Odisha and Kesarekha, Nayagram, and Chandabila in West Bengal. The inter-state meeting was held on the premises of the Hurndasola High School under Rasgobindpur block in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district in collaboration with the Odisha Save Elephant Foundation Trust with a view to resolve the issue.
The meeting was chaired by the founder of the trust and former State Wildlife Conservator Debrabrat Swain, and attended by Rajnikant Jena, wildlife expert Biswajit Panda, Baripada DFO A Uma Mahesh, Achint Narayan Jena, Baripada ACF Rabinarayan Mohanty, Balasore District coordinator Ashwani Kumar Das, Mayurbhanj Coordinator Harihar Das, Non-commissioned Ranger Manwar Khan, Rasgobindpur Forester Ashok Majhi, along with the Sarpanchs and Samiti members of the six ranges.
Discussions were held on how to solve the human-animal conflicts by coordinating between the administration of both the states and the people in the border areas. The Forest Departmental officials and employees of both states along with the public representatives took an oath to establish friendly relations with elephants.
