Hassan Deputy Commissioner K.S. Lathakumari interacts with residents of Arehalli in Belur taluk on Monday.
A significant workshop was recently convened in Arehalli, Belur taluk of Hassan district, providing a platform for local communities to voice their deep-seated concerns over the ongoing human-animal conflicts.
Residents shared harrowing accounts of living amidst elephants, emphasizing the constant fear endured by plantation workers who risk encounters with wild animals daily. Parents, in particular, expressed immense worry for the safety of their children, whose lives are continually threatened by these roaming elephants.
The community united in its appeal to the government, urging immediate and decisive action to resolve this escalating human-elephant conflict.
A poignant point raised by the residents was the disparity in compensatory benefits: while families of Forest Department employees killed in elephant attacks receive jobs, the same provisions are not extended to civilian victims. Many farmers have already abandoned paddy cultivation due to extensive crop damage caused by elephants. They reiterated their plea for officials to capture and safely relocate all elephants from their populated areas.
Beyond wildlife concerns, the workshop also brought to light other pressing local issues, including unreliable phone connectivity, frequent power outages, and insufficient public transportation services.
Responding to the multitude of complaints, Deputy Commissioner K.S. Lathakumari assured attendees that the administration is fully aware of the human-elephant conflict and that the Forest Department is actively developing a comprehensive action plan to address the challenges. She confirmed the administration would carefully consider all public suggestions and complaints, promising swift action where possible.
The workshop’s primary objective was to instill confidence within the community regarding efforts to tackle the human-elephant conflict. Ms. Lathakumari further pledged to appoint doctors to the Community Health Centre in Arehalli and to take steps towards improving the area’s telephone network.
V. Yedukondalu, Conservator of Forests for Hassan Circle, acknowledged that parts of Hassan have grappled with human-elephant conflict for over 15 years. He detailed the department’s ongoing mitigation efforts, including the commencement of a soft release center in Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, expected to be completed within a year. Additionally, 140 personnel have been deployed as part of an Elephant Task Force, tasked with monitoring elephant movements and issuing timely alerts to the public.
Other officials present at the workshop included Deputy Conservator of Forests Sourabh Kumar and Additional Superintendent of Police M.K. Thammaiah, underscoring the multi-agency approach to this critical issue.