Two people have died in elephant attacks in Karnataka in two days, following which Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Eshwar Khandre on Tuesday appealed to the public to follow the safety precautions issued by the department.

A youth in Belur taluk of Hassan district died on Monday after being attacked by a jumbo, while a woman succumbed to an attack in Kamasamudra of Kolar district on Tuesday, the Minister's office said.

Expressing grief over the deaths, Khandre said the state government stands with the families of the victims.

"Instructions have been given to provide immediate compensation to the kin of the deceased. These incidents are happening in the morning and evening," he said, as he asked people living on the edge of the forest to follow the message given by the Forest Department on the movement of elephants, and to be vigilant.

Noting that the elephant-human, wildlife-human conflicts are not a new problem, and it has been there for years, the Minister opined that the decline in forest area and increase in wildlife has aggravated the problem.

The state government is installing and maintaining tentacle fencing, solar fences, and is building elephant moats to control wildlife-human conflict, it is also laying railway barricades, he said. In 2024-25, 78.917 kms of railway barricade work was completed, while 41.87 km work is in progress.

"Target has been set for another 103 km, and the work process will begin by March 31," he added.

Highlighting that the state has the highest number of elephants in the country at 6,395, Khandre said the government has held a meeting with ministers of neighbouring states to find ways to stop the elephant menace, and has held an international conference.

An expert committee has been constituted and a study is being conducted. An elephant task force has also been formed, he said. The public is being informed about the movement of elephants in a timely manner.

Noting that the problem arose after some elephants started venturing out of the forest and roaming in groups around Kodagu, Hassan, and Chikkamagaluru, Khandre said the government planned to establish an elephant camp in an area of 2,000 hectares in Bhadra Sanctuary.

"It has been advised to take steps to ensure that the elephants have access to necessary food and water. More than 150 elephants roaming outside the forest have been identified and the elephants will have to be sent there...but this will take time," he said.

With the population growth, residential areas have expanded to the edge of the forest, agricultural activities are carried out in the regions, the Minister said. The government has undertaken the task of replenishing water bodies on the outskirts of the forest.

According to experts, elephants are entering villages in search of water, bananas, jackfruit, paddy etc, he said. In response, authorities have been directed to conduct a study and submit a report on the reason for increased elephant incursions. "The government is making sincere efforts to find a permanent solution to the problem of human-elephant conflict," he added.

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