Man-elephant conflict costs Asom 127 lives in 2 years

Guwahati, Mar 2 (UNI) The man-elephant conflict has cost Asom not only in terms of human life and property, but its pinch has also been felt by the state exchequer.

The Asom government had shelled out Rs 30 lakh in 2005-06 as one-time relief towards damage to life and property caused by wild elephants, with Rs 24 lakhs granted till this month in 2006-07.

These figures were submitted in the state Assembly today by Environment and Forests Minister Rockybul Hussain in reply to a number of written questions concerning his department.

In 2005-06, pachyderms had killed 80 people, while 47 people had been killed by elephants till this month in 2006-07.

The highest number of deaths were recorded in Golaghat and Sonitpur districts in 2005-06 with 18 deaths each. In 2006-07, highest causalities so far had been recorded in Sonitpur district (13), followed by Golaghat (10).

He also informed the House on the measures being adopted for reducing the man-elephant conflict, including plantation of trees, barbed fencing and activation of defence parties at the village level.

The minister also informed the House that the state had 2006 rhinoceros as per the latest census. Kaziranga National Park (KNP) accounted for the highest with 1855 rhinos, Manas National Park (MNP) had three and Orang National Park has 68.

As per 2006 census, six rhinos had died in Orang National Park, while a 2002 census put the number of elephants in the Park at four and tigers at 19, Mr Hussain informed.

On encroachment of forest land in the state, the minister informed that 12,000 bighas of land in MNP and adjacent reserved forests had been encroached upon by 500 families and eviction was carried out from time to time.

UNI