Significant Reduction in Human Fatalities from Elephant Encounters: Bengal Minister
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Kolkata, Nov 28 (NationPress) In the year 2024, West Bengal has seen a notable drop in the number of human fatalities resulting from elephant encounters, as reported by Birbaha Hansda, the Minister of State responsible for the forest department (independent charge), during Thursday's assembly session.
According to Hansda, there were 103 deaths attributed to elephant attacks in 2023, whereas the current year has recorded 53 casualties up to November.
She also highlighted that the elephant population in West Bengal has seen a remarkable increase over the last year.
“By the end of 2023, the elephant count was approximately 650. As of November this year, it has risen to 800. The significant decrease in human casualties, despite a growing elephant population, can be credited to the tireless efforts of the forest department officials and staff,” stated Hansda.
The districts experiencing the highest human casualties this year are Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri. In Alipurduar, 18 individuals have lost their lives as of November, down from 24 last year.
In Jalpaiguri, the current count is 13 fatalities, a decrease from 28 in 2023.
The minister noted that the forest department has implemented various initiatives aimed at minimizing human-elephant conflicts, including a broad awareness campaign.
“We encourage villagers to refrain from taking direct actions when elephant herds enter their areas and to instead notify the state forest department. This awareness initiative is beginning to show positive outcomes,” she added.
