Jashpur (Chhattisgarh) [India], November 9 (ANI): Human trackers, appointed on the instructions of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, are proving to be a milestone in preventing human-elephant conflicts in the Jashpur area, which is surrounded by Odisha, Jharkhand, and Raigarh districts.

Most elephant herds are found in the states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Jharkhand. Elephants, known for their intelligence, can become aggressive to protect their herds. For decades, these herds have traveled the same routes for foraging. However, with human settlements encroaching on these paths, conflicts between humans and elephants have been rising, often resulting in the loss of human or elephant lives.

In response, the Chhattisgarh government has appointed elephant trackers to reduce these conflicts. Villagers living near the forests, who are familiar with both the forest terrain and elephant behavior, have been designated as trackers. When elephants pass through the forests, these trackers follow them to minimize interactions between elephants and humans. Trackers guide elephants back into the forest and keep them away from villages.

At the Lavakera Chhattisgarh-Odisha border in the Tapkara range, where elephants often cross from Odisha into Chhattisgarh, a warning sign has been installed to alert people. Local resident Tikeshwar Chauhan noted, “The Odisha border is next to us. Elephants spend more than half of the year here. The forest department keeps us informed and warns us through messages. If there is any damage caused by elephants, the government provides compensation.”

At the Hathibed forest, trackers reported a herd of elephants in the area. Upon hearing the herd, the trackers alerted the community and cautiously followed the elephants. Lambodar Yadav, a Hathibed villager, explained, "Elephants frequently come here from Odisha, moving towards Raigarh. When they approach, trackers and forest department staff use microphones and torches to keep them from entering the village. Trackers have been effective in preventing conflicts.”

Elephant tracker Rajesh Ram Yadav explained their duties: "We advise locals, especially those near forest edges, to keep a safe distance from the elephants and stay indoors at night. When elephants head towards villages, we work with the forest department to guide them back into the forest. We alert villagers using microphones and sirens. Currently, a herd of 29 elephants is moving between Jashpur and Raigarh."

Another tracker, Devvrat Ram, shared that there are currently six trackers in Jashpur, with 28-30 trackers trained across the district. “We track elephants in the forest and alert people when they are nearby to prevent incidents. We carry essentials like food, medicine, a torch, and a stick when we track. When we spot an elephant, we backtrack and inform locals to stay away,” he said.

Jashpur DFO Jitendra Upadhyay emphasized Jashpur's role as a crucial region for managing human-elephant conflict, given its proximity to Jharkhand and Odisha. He noted, "For the past 10 months, continuous efforts have been made to raise public awareness under the Chief Minister's initiative. A specialized tracker team and rapid response unit have been deployed, leading to a significant reduction in human and elephant casualties."

Upadhyay added that trackers are being further trained, with the hope that incidents involving human or elephant fatalities will be a thing of the past within the next year and a half. "There has been no loss of elephants in this district for the last two years, and human fatalities have significantly decreased. Our district is moving towards a harmonious coexistence, with an understanding of elephant behavior by local representatives, villagers, and forest staff," he said.

Trackers and rapid response teams are equipped with GPS devices and maintain logs of daily elephant movements. “This tracking and documentation effort has been ongoing for the last 6-7 months, gaining momentum over the last 3 months,” he added.

(ANI)