Replying to a starred question raised by MLA Achumbemo Kikon during the ongoing 7th session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change & Village Guards, CL John informed the House that the department has taken “several steps” to minimize human-elephant conflict.
John said that a proposal has been made to convert the Doyang Plantation Division, Wokha, into a Wildlife Division. He further informed that “two different mitigation plans” have been submitted in this regard and that the department has requested the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to permit the translocation of elephants from human-inhabited areas.
Raising supplementary points, Kikon urged the department to enhance compensation for those affected or killed by elephants, while also calling for deployment of more forest personnel in areas where elephant herds and other wild animals roam freely during the cropping seasons.
Advisor for Agriculture, Mhathung Yanthan, also spoke on the issue. He appreciated the efforts of the department and noted that the elephant foraging area extends from “100 to 150 km, which means the population has already exceeded the carrying capacity.” He added that “population control and relocation of elephants are the two possible ways to reduce conflict.”