The state forest department has initiated extensive measures to ensure peaceful polling at booths in forest and forest-fringe areas of north Bengal ahead of the Assembly elections, with special focus on preventing human-animal conflict.

Sources in the department said nearly 500 polling booths across the region were identified as being situated either within forest villages or along forest fringes.

Details of these booths have already been shared with forest department officials for necessary arrangements.

Senior foresters stressed that the measures are aimed at ensuring that voters in remote and forested regions can participate in the democratic process without inconvenience.

With enhanced vigilance and coordinated efforts between forest and election authorities, the administration is working to ensure a safe and smooth polling process across north Bengal’s ecologically sensitive zones, said an official.

“There are nearly 500 booths in forest-fringe areas across north Bengal. We have taken all necessary steps to handle human-animal conflict,” said Bhaskar J.V., the chief conservator of forests (wildlife, north).

A forest official said that in the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) of Alipurduar alone, 82 booths have been marked as sensitive because of the risk of human-animal encounters.

Officials have also outlined a series of preventive and response strategies to ensure both voter and polling personnel safety, which include deployment of mobile teams and quick response teams (QRTs), round-the-clock monitoring of sensitive booths, special patrol units covering forest fringes and adjoining tea garden areas, and escort arrangements for polling personnel in forest villages.

“We have taken all necessary steps so that polling personnel can conduct the poll and voters can cast their franchise peacefully, without disturbance from wild animals,” said Kumar Vimal, the field director of the BTR.

During the polls, forest officials will visit polling booths to coordinate with election staff to ensure that all required support to the staff and voters has been provided.

“QRTs across all forest divisions in north Bengal will remain on standby to respond swiftly to any emergency,” said a forester.

Polling teams deputed to north Bengal to conduct elections face unique challenges — they cross rivers, trek through forests and hills and travel long distances across difficult terrain to ensure democratic rights for voters residing in remote places.