Min urges caution to prevent human-animal conflicts

Kolkata: State Forest minister Birbaha Hansda on Wednesday urged the people in the forest adjoining areas not to disturb animals in order to avoid any conflict. She also laid an emphasis on the awareness of the people to check fatalities.

There have been incidents both in north and south Bengal where the elephants entered the localities and caused havoc. People have also died in human-animal conflicts.

Speaking on the issue in the Assembly, Hansda said that people in the forest adjoining areas sometimes disturb animals. People are responsible for disturbing the natural habitat of animals, the minister pointed out. “People should be aware about certain aspects relating to forest and animals. Elephants will remain confined within the forest till the people will not enter the forest and disturb them.

People are entering forests and disturbing the natural habitat of animals,” Hansda said. Many people die in human-animal conflicts in Bengal every year. A herd of elephants entered West Midnapore from Odisha in January this year. A 65-year-old man had died in an elephant attack.