Environmentalists are concerned about the rising incidents of elephants raiding farms for food and other conflict situations with humans in Uttarakhand. They point out that decrease in fodder species in the jungles, human encroachments and crop patterns are influencing the movement of elephants and exacerbating the human-pachyderm conflict which could worsen in the future it effective measures are not taken now.
There has been a rise in incidents of elephants raiding farms for food and in other conflict situations involving humans. Recently a Van Gujjar was killed by a pachyderm in the Rajaji national park. According to the Corbett tiger reserve honouraray warden Brijendra Singh, the human-elephant conflict in Uttarakhand could worsen in the future if immediate steps are not taken now to ensure adequate food for the pachyderms in the forests. Though department officials state that species of trees and grasses preferred by the jumbos are being planted in the forests, wildlife activists aver that the department has beem making this claim for years but has apparently not been able to ensure adequate fodder for the elephants in the forests. Expanding human settlements and cultivation near forest areas is further exacerbating the human-elephant conflict with the movements of elephants being affected by crop cultivation patterns. In the Dehradun region, such conflict situations are being experienced in Nakraunda, Gularghati, Bhopalpani, Gumaniwala, Chidderwala and Shergarh among other places.
According to the People For Animals, Uttarakhand member secretary Gauri Maulekhi, the dwindling corridors in the Shivalik elephant reserve and the rising encroachment on the forest are the main factors causing the human-elephant conflict.
“The monoculture issue is now being addressed by the CM Rawat, which raises hopes. Fodder shortage in Rajaji becomes critical especially during the dry season, which forces the elephants to turn towards villages. The problem at hand is completely man made and the solution will have to be implemented at a war footing now, to be able to get results in the next 10 years,” she said.