Applause to the govt. for timely attempts to resolve HEC

Successive regimes failed to address the human-elephant conflict (HEC) which in turn has claimed the lives of many elephants and humans over the years. Today, people in heavy HEC-prone areas consider elephants as a pest. But the reality is that it is these people who have encroached into these habitats. Elephant corridors which have been used by these gentle giants for years were allocated for commercial projects and for housing purposes. Despite policy frameworks and HEC mitigation plans submitted by experts, governments took little to absolutely no notice about these well-drafted documents. Perhaps if some of these strategies were implemented, people’s perceptions towards elephants could have changed. Recently, President Dissanayake convened a meeting with relevant district secretaries in areas mostly affected by the HEC. Plans are underway to appoint district-level committees to resolve this conflict. Discussions also covered existing vacancies within the Department of Wildlife, vehicle requirements and the challenges faced in carrying out their duties. This is indeed a welcome move because local stakeholders play a key role in addressing this conflict. They are faced with multiple challenges along the way. Therefore let’s hope that the incumbent government takes some feasible actions to save the lives of both elephants and humans. 

A concerned citizen