Divisional Commissioner Sonmoni Borah on Wednesday directed officials to deploy the ‘Elephant Tracking System’ in all the concerned districts of the division. He was chairing a meeting of Forest Department officers of the division at his office here. The meeting was also attended by Bilaspur District Collector Siddharth Komal Singh Pardeshi and the Chief Conservator of Forest of Surguja and Bilaspur.
Borah said that plantations should be carried out for arranging food for the elephants, which could be saplings of banana, bamboo and miscellaneous species of other plants. He said that the move would also benefit other wild animals. Borah also directed all district collectors to make the rivers and nullahs around the ‘Elephant Corridor’ free of all encroachments for ensuring availability of water for wild animals .
He also asked the officials to rationalise the compensation distribution process for villagers affected by elephant problems. It was informed in the meeting that there are a total of 14 locations affected by presence of wild elephants in the division. In the regions affected by the elephants the ‘Halla Bol’ committees need to be formed by offering training to villagers, the Commissioner said.
The committees would ensure a suitable route for wild elephants to reach their locations, he said. There should not be unnecessary crowd of people formed or provoking elephants by villagers, Borah said. The Commissioner also directed officials to develop pastures for the wild elephants, which can also be consumed by other wild animals.
It may be recalled that Bilaspur District Collector Siddharth Komal Singh Pardeshi had conducted inspection of Pendra area in the district ventured recently by the wild elephants and directed the concerned officers to prepare a route plan to help the elephants to reunite with their mother groups.
Pardeshi had directed the officers to hold meetings with the villagers and provide them information so that they remain alert. The villagers should not tease or provoke the elephants, he had stated. The Collector had interacted with the residents of Karaunda Nahar village in Devrikhurd and asked them to remain alert but do not tease the elephants.
He had held a meeting with the officers of Pendra-Marwahi including Divisional Forest Officer, Additional Collector, SDM, SDO and CEO of Janpad Panchayat at Kotmikla police outpost.
The Collector had advised the officers for a joint effort to tackle the situation as the problem is not limited to any specific Department. The departments should work in proper coordination.
Pardeshi had stated that the people should be warned about movement of elephants on the route plan from where the elephants are expected to pass. In addition to this, the districts falling in the route should also be alerted so that they also work according to the route plan.
The Collector had directed the officers of the Forest Department for assessment of the loss to provide compensation to the affected people.