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In Haridwar, the occurrences of man animal conflict has steadily risen with elephants often seen turning up either on roads or residential areas leading to panic and chaos. In a recent sighting at the Khadkhadi Hill bypass late in the night an elephant was spotted while on the prowl.
Locals informed the Forest Department, when they were late, then they themselves tried to shoo away the elephant into the wilderness.
In Haridwar, areas that are close to the forest area have very frequently seen the elephants come out of the dense and wild forests causing much discomfort to the local population.In recent times in Haridwar’s Sidcul, Tibdi Road, Jagjitpur and other areas elephants have run riot. The forest department meanwhile has continued to work towards keeping the elephant out of the urban spaces where human habitat exists to cut down man animal conflict.
Wild elephants running amok in the rural areas adjoining Rajaji Tiger Reserve is not only causing trouble, but also causing huge losses to elephant farmers. Wild elephants mostly waste sugarcane and paddy crops. Solar fences were installed by the forest department to stop elephants for some years, but despite that the forest department has failed to stop the arrival of wild elephants in rural areas. There is a lot of anger against the forest department among farmers.
Farmers tell the media that elephants have been coming to rural areas for the last 25 years and farmers’ crops are ruined by elephants and this year many people have been killed by elephants. On the other hand, the compensation given by the government is not enough, hence now farmers are shying away from farming in rural areas. Farmers are so afraid of elephants that they do not even go to their fields in the evening.
Regional BJP MLA Swami Yetiswaranand at a personal level has raised this issue many times in the Legislative Assembly and talked to Forest Minister Harak Singh Rawat in this matter. There is alikelihood that walls will now be made to stop elephants from venturing out.
Haridwar Forest Division DFO Akash Verma has been quoted in the media saying that encroachment of people is also increasing in forest areas. Due to this, aggression is also seen in wild animals. A large area of Haridwar is situated around the adjoining Rajaji Tiger Reserve and hence elephant movement is very high here. In 2015, around 60 elephants were in Haridwar. As things continue to spiral out of hand, people live in fear. People now think twice before moving out of the house.
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