The state forest department has launched a pilot project to revive stretches of the elephant corridor in north Bengal to mitigate the growing man-elephant conflict, particularly in Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts.
Recently, state forest minister Manoj Oraon spoke about the rising human-elephant conflict in the region and initiatives to address it.
According to sources in the department, forest officials have identified two major elephant corridors for revival in the first phase of the project.
These comprise a 3.5-kilometre stretch connecting the Buxa Tiger Reserve and Jaldapara National Park via Bharnobari tea estate in Kalchini block of Alipurduar district and a 10-kilometre corridor between Titi and Reti forests, extending into a part of the neighbouring Jalpaiguri district.
“We have taken up a pilot project to revive two stretches of the elephant corridor. The revival plan includes extensive plantations of various species of trees and plants that serve as natural fodder for elephants. Water bodies will also be created, and grasslands developed along the corridors to support elephant movement and habitat needs,” said a senior forest official.
In north Bengal, the elephant corridor stretches from the Mechi river that flows along the India-Nepal border to the Sankosh along the Bengal-Assam border, covering the Terai and the Dooars.
According to forest department estimates, the wild elephant population is nearly 600.
Over the years, the corridor has shrunk for various reasons, including the mushrooming of human habitats. Elephants are forced to stray out of the corridor in search of fodder, leading to man-elephant conflict, sometimes fatal for both.
To facilitate the project, forest authorities have approached some tea estates to provide land parcels adjoining the corridors.
“The idea is to develop at least two stretches of passage with enough fodder and water. The corridors will be around 300 metres wide with energised fences on both sides. Tea estates will be compensated for land,” the official said, adding the jolt from the fences would be a deterrent only, not fatal.
If the pilot project works, it could be replicated across other identified stretches of the elephant corridor in north Bengal, he added.