Yadav highlighted India’s significant role as the guardian of the world’s largest population of wild Asian elephants. This underscored the nation’s duty to protect this species, reflecting its responsibility towards wildlife conservation. He highlighted the essential nature of collaborating effectively with local communities to drive elephant conservation efforts forward. The minister reaffirmed the unswerving dedication of his ministry to aligning human well-being with the urgent need to preserve these majestic creatures.

Yadav lauded the concerted endeavours undertaken by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the Ministry of Railways, state forest departments, and eminent institutions such as the Wildlife Institute of India.

An issue of significant concern that was discussed revolved around the troubling frequency of elephant collisions with trains on railways. Of particular note is the identification of approximately 110 vulnerable sections within the railway network that pass through areas inhabited by elephants. Minister Yadav provided a comprehensive strategy to address this challenge, encompassing the establishment of underpasses, the removal of vegetation to improve visibility, and the installation of ramps.

Yadav also disclosed intentions to introduce technology-driven intrusion detection systems along the railway tracks, a topic thoroughly deliberated during the event. Additionally, he emphasized the innovative approach of genetically mapping captive elephants across India as a means to combat illegal trafficking.

A groundbreaking initiative was unveiled by Bhupender Yadav – the management effectiveness and evaluation of Elephant Reserves across India. As a pilot project, four elephant reserves representing the four prominent elephant habitats have been selected for evaluation. This move seeks to standardize the best practices among Elephant Reserves, thus amplifying their management and conservation efforts.

Post his address, Yadav engaged with frontline personnel engaged in managing the human-elephant conflict. Additionally, he unveiled the Elephant Corridors of India report, prepared by Project Elephant, which serves as a comprehensive guide to the 150 elephant corridors in the nation, complete with corresponding maps.

Coinciding with World Elephant Day, the minister also unveiled the second edition of the Atlas of Elephant Reserves of India, furnishing critical information about all 33 Elephant Reserves across the country.

The occasion also witnessed the conferring of the esteemed Gaj Gaurav awards upon individuals for their exemplary contributions to elephant conservation and management. Noteworthy awardees included Alefnagar Joint Forest Management Committee, Bishwarrajan Panigrahi, Pitambara Gouda, Deepak Sharma, and Mirza Vaseem. The event was graced by the presence of dignitaries including Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Pradip Kumar Amat, ministers of state, alongside senior officials from MoEFCC, and eminent elephant experts.

August 12 marks World Elephant Day, a global commemoration reaffirming the collective commitment to safeguarding these iconic species. In India, elephants hold the status of National Heritage animals, deeply ingrained in the nation’s cultural tapestry.

Updated: 12 Aug 2023, 04:43 PM IST