The Kachugaon Forest Division under the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) launched its first formal awareness programme on human-elephant conflict on 11 July 2025, targeting forest fringe communities near Raimona National Park in Assam. The initiative aims to foster safer coexistence between local residents and wild elephants in one of India's most conflict-prone wildlife corridors.

How the Programme Was Launched

The inaugural session was held at Thaisoguri, a Forest Rights Act (FRA) village under the Sanfan Range, and was inaugurated by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Additional PCCF) and BTC Council Head of Department Sonali Ghosh. The event brought together forest officials, wildlife experts, security agencies including the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Territorial Army, community leaders, and residents from villages bordering the national park.

Attendees included Kameswar Das, Chief Scientist at Assam Agricultural University's Zonal Research Station in Gossaigaon; Porna Sharma, Senior Head Scientist of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) at Gossaigaon; Major Pratap Singh Rathore of the 135 Ecological Task Force at Bishmuri; Mustafa Ali Ahmed, Divisional Forest Officer; and Shree Jeet Singh, Second-in-Command of SSB 31 Battalion at Telipara.

What Experts and Officials Said

In her address, Sonali Ghosh underscored the indispensable role of local communities in wildlife conservation, urging villagers to adopt practices that reduce direct encounters with elephants. The senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer noted that elephants are integral to the region's forest ecosystem and that maintaining ecological balance demands close cooperation between the Forest Department and residents.

Ghosh also acknowledged the sustained support of neighbouring communities in preserving the biodiversity of Raimona National Park. Other experts stressed that effective coordination among government agencies, local organisations, and village communities is essential for ensuring the safety of both people and elephants.

Key Strategies Discussed

Experts at the session outlined several practical measures to reduce conflict, including strengthening early warning systems, protecting agricultural fields from elephant incursions, safeguarding traditional elephant corridors from encroachment, and expanding public awareness campaigns in forest fringe villages. Residents were specifically advised to alert the Forest Department immediately whenever elephant movement is detected near human settlements.

Villagers from Thaisoguri and neighbouring communities actively participated, sharing first-hand accounts of crop damage and property loss caused by elephants and seeking durable, long-term solutions to the recurring problem.

Why This Region Is Especially Vulnerable

The area falls within the Chirang-Ripu Elephant Reserve, one of Assam's designated elephant habitats. The BTC is an autonomous administrative body constituted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to govern the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) in western Assam. The BTR — comprising the four districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, and Udalguri — shares international borders with Bhutan and a state border with West Bengal, making it ecologically sensitive and a critical transit zone for elephant movement.

This is the first such structured awareness drive under the Kachugaon Forest Division, and officials indicated that similar programmes are planned for other forest fringe villages across the BTR. The initiative reflects a broader shift in wildlife management — from reactive conflict response to proactive community engagement.