Concerned with the increasing incidents of man-animal conflict across the State, forest department has issued fresh guidelines for the villagers to plant more chili plants around their residencial areas to drive elephants away from the villages. According to forest officials, chili smell around human habitats acts like a natural repellant for tuskers resulting into less man-animal conflict in most vulnerable parts of the State.
“An advisory has been circulated among the villagers to plant as many chili plants inside and outside their houses as they can, as its very smell will keep wild elephants away,” said DFO Wild life, Ranchi Division, Kamlesh Pandey.
They have also been advised to put chili powder-cow dung soaked ropes at every entry point of their villages which will act as a natural barrier for the elephants, he added.
Pandey further added that the department, in view of the increasing incidents of tusker interference in the human habitats, has also been creating awareness among the people regarding the precautions which could be taken to avoid tuskers in their locality.
“A Gajraj Yojana, on the lines of Chattisgarh has also being formulated in the State where there will be a centralised information centre at the block or range office level with phone numbers of the concerned officials to be contacted in the hour of need,” said the DFO. A Rapid Action Team will also be deputed there along with all the instruments to drag tuskers out of the area, he added.
According to Pandey, as elephants get into the villages in search of food, there is also need to make some changes in the crop pattern in the vulnerable areas. “People should be encouraged produce ginger and chili instead of vegetables and paddy, which is more profitable than vegetables; elephant do not get attracted towards such crops,” Pandey added.
The department has also directed to burn chili powder soaked clothes to drag out elephant from the villages and to avoid keeping intoxicants inside their houses as it could attract tuskers.