Corridors to ensure jumbos’ safety (India)

The comprehensive plan for setting up the corridors will be prepared by March this year, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told mediapersons here after a high-level meeting on the issue.The corridors are, Badampahad-Dhobadhobi, Badampahad-Korida, Deuli-Shuliapada, Similipahad- Hadagarh-Kuladihi, Telkoi-Pallahada, Karoi-Karampada, Maulabhanja-Jinjimala- Anantapur, Kanheijena-Anantapur, Buguda- Nayagarh, Nuagaon-Baruni, Tala-Kholagarh, Barpahad-Tarbha-Kantamal, Kotagarh-Chandrapur and Karlapat-Bharladani.Besides making arrangements for food and water inside the proposed corridors, attention would be given to ensure that the animals do not stray into human habitations in search of food, he said. Steps will also be taken to augment the security of elephants in the corridors.The proposed corridors would spread over 870 sq km and be 420.8 km long. It would include three inter-state corridors with West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.According to official sources, an average of 48 persons are killed and crops over 54,000 hectares destroyed every year by the elephants in the State. The Government every year pays a compensation of Rs 1.2 crore for the damaged crops.The pachyderms too fell victims to the mananimal conflict. Besides poaching, many elephants died after coming in contact with live wires. According to 2007 elephant census, there are 1,862 pachyderms in the State. The number has increased by 35 since the 1999 census. Seven per cent of the total number of elephants in the country are in Orissa. Except Nuapada, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts, elephants are found in rest of the 27 districts.The State Government has constituted 51 squads to check elephant poaching and take steps to prevent accidents in which many of these animals die. Besides, 98 elephant trackers have been engaged to keep a watch on their movements.The increasing forest cover in the State as per the national forest survey was discussed at the meeting. The forest cover in the State has grown by 106 square kilometers.Among others, Chief Secretary TK Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Bijay Kumar Patnaik, Principal Secretary in the Forest Department Upendranath Behera and senior officials attended.