DNA SPECIAL: Centre plans task force, elephant corridors to check man-animal conflicts

To bring down the instances of human-wildlife conflict and electrocution of animals, the union environment ministry has finalised a host of measures, DNA has learnt.

Setting up of a task force, issuing advisories to states to expedite notification of elephant corridors and modification of road projects to facilitate unhindered movement of animals are part of the efforts to protect wildlife in the country.

The move is the outcome of a Supreme Court directive issued to the green ministry and the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) in January in response to a petition by wildlife biologist Vidya Athreya.

In her plea, Athreya had included a host of suggestions to the improve the ground situation. In February, NBWL formed a six-member expert panel to examine the suggestions on human-animal conflict, securing of elephant corridors to minimise conflict, wildlife deaths due to electrocution and recovery plans for critically endangered Great Indian Bustard.

Based on a report of the expert panel, the NBWL made final recommendations in its last meeting on June 13. DNA has a reviewed a copy of the report.

Elephants have been the biggest casualties of electrocution. According to non-profit organisation Wildlife Protection Society of India, over 350 elephants have died due to electrocution between 2010 and 2016.

The NBWL has recommended that the ministry should advise the state governments to secure animals corridors through land acquisition or by declaring such corridors as eco-sensitive zones due to difficulties in land acquisition.

"It is very heartening to see that the committee's views are in concordance with what the petition was about. However, I think there is a lot more that can be done right away which would help resolve issues of conflict much quicker and we will try and push for it," Athreya told DNA.

The environment ministry also decided that it may consider constituting a task force in collaboration with Power Grid Corporation India Ltd, Central Electricity Authority, Power ministry and wildlife experts to deliberate on measures that will prevent electrocution of wildlife due to transmission lines.

On the human-wildlife conflict, Athreya had suggested that Centre should adopt a holistic approach comprising of extensive studies on ecological and sociological aspects of conflict, imparting conflict management training to forest officials and standard operating procedures to deal with wildlife conflict, among other things. The ministry has said that it will issue advisories to states on developing SOPs for species other than tigers and leopards that are at the centre of human-wildlife conflict.

Further, the expert committee and NBWL was of the view that to reduce wildlife mortality on roads, infrastructure development agencies and concerned ministries to make necessary modifications in designs of existing roads.

Gentle Giants Most Affected

The environment ministry’s proposed measures include notification of elephant corridors, modification of road projects to facilitate unhindered movement of wildlife

According to non-profit organisation Wildlife Protection Society of India, over 350 elephants have died due to electrocution between 2010 and 2016