Due to decreasing fodder in the jungles and other factors, pachyderms are increasingly moving towards human habitations even in the suburbs of Dehradun.
One such area is Harrawala where elephants have broken the boundary walls of some homes and also damaged sugarcane crop. locals and Forest Department staff are keeping awake at night and patrolling the area to keep the elephants away from homes. Factors like decreasing fodder for pachyderms in the forests, blocked corridors traditionally used by many generations of elephants and expanding human settlements have increased incidence of human-elephant conflict in various places across the State.
In Dehradun district, this conflict is generally seen in rural areas with settlements and farms in the vicinity of forests. However, of late, the jumbos have also started raiding some suburban areas like Harrawala and adjoining localities. Harrawala Gram Pradhan Mulchand said, “The pachyderms have damaged the boundary walls in some homes and have also raided farms for sugarcane. They are visiting this area quite frequently during the nights. Along with the forest department staff, some locals are also keeping awake at night to keep a watch. Crackers are being burst regularly in an attempt to keep the elephants away from human settlements,” he said. The locals had met the department officials including the lachiwala range officer after which the department staff have been patrolling the area at night, added the Gram Pradhan.
Forest officials state that such incidents are unavoidable considering the situation being faced by the pachyderms. Wildlife activists point out that in stead of resorting to excavation of protective trenches, construction of safety walls and erection of solar fencing around settlements and farms prone to raids by elephants, the department should focus on increasing the fodder for the pachyderms in the jungles and clearing the elephant corridors in order to find a long term solution to the conflict situation.