The human population is growing very fast and settlements are taking place everywhere irrespective of status and position of the land. Be it burial ground, gochar or fallow land, they are indiscriminately being used and hence, felling of trees is rampant, said speakers at a meeting held in Nilgiri on the 61st Wildlife Week.
The meeting was presided by the DFO HB Udgata, while Baleswar MP Rabindra Kumar Jena, district Collector Sanatan Mallick and wildlife activist Jayant Mardaraj spoke on the issue and raised concerns over the mindless acquisition of land for human use.
Jena stated that man -elephant conflict in the Nilgiri area is on rise due to destruction of forest covers. He said rampant felling of trees and blasting of hills for quarrying have disturbed the peaceful living of the wild animals. Squeezing of habitat has forced elephants and other wild animals to stray into human settlements leading to conflict and casualty, Jena maintained. Jena laid stress on renovation of the abandoned lake Padmatola in Nilgiri.Among others, ACF Suvendu Bhuyan , Nilgiri Sub Collector Dilip Parida and Tehsildar Sarat Malick spoke. Earlier on the day, a rally for generating awareness on environment was taken out by school children.