Chhattisgarh government is making extensive efforts to check human-elephant conflict in northern part of state even as 63 people died in wild animal attacks, including by elephants, during the last one year, state forest minister Mahesh Gagda said in the assembly on Wednesday.
Replying to a question of Amarjeet Bhagat (Congress) regarding wild elephant menace in north Chhattisgarh, the minister said public awareness campaign is being carried out to make villagers aware about how to deal with wild elephants.
To a question by Devji Bhai Patel (BJP), forest minister informed the house that Chhattisgarh has recorded death of as many as 461 wild animals in past year and a half due to various reasons, with the highest toll of 54 recorded in Mahasamund district.
These deaths were caused due to various reasons including, poaching, scarcity of water and others. He said 59 animals were killed in poaching, only one died of scarcity of water while the rest died due to other reasons. 10 wild animals died due to poaching in Balodabazar while eight animals were killed in Bilaspur district.