New Delhi, Dec 21 (IANS) Union Environment and Forest Minister Bhupender Yadav on Sunday led a review of the status of human-elephant conflict across the country, focussing on findings from ongoing studies on conflict drivers and mitigation measures, an official said.

The meeting holds significance considering the Sairang (Mizoram)-New Delhi Rajdhani Express killing seven elephants and injuring a calf in Hojai district of Assam a day earlier.

The Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change also brainstormed with experts to refine strategies for the conservation of tigers and elephants during the meeting held at the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, the official said.

The 28th Meeting of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the 22nd Steering Committee Meeting of Project Elephant brought together senior government officials, scientists, and field experts from tiger and elephant range states, along with representatives of key conservation institutions, to review the progress of Project Tiger and Project Elephant.

Minister Yadav emphasised India’s globally recognised tiger conservation model and underscored the importance of science-based management, landscape-level planning, community participation, inter-state coordination, and international collaboration.

The minutes of the 27th Meeting held on April 18, 2025, were confirmed, and the Action Taken Report on decisions taken therein was reviewed.

The outcomes of four Regional Meetings were discussed, with a focus on key challenges faced by tiger reserves, said an official statement.

Measures to address human-tiger conflict, including a three-pronged strategy and the launch of the project ‘Management of Tigers Outside Tiger Reserves’, were highlighted. Issues related to staff shortages, financial constraints, habitat degradation, and invasive species management were also reviewed, with directions issued for appropriate follow-up by states and concerned authorities.

The meeting ratified the decisions of the Technical Committee Meetings of the NTCA, covering approval of Tiger Conservation Plans; extension and expansion of Project Cheetah; tiger translocation; prey augmentation; landscape management planning; carnivore health management training programmes; and inputs provided by the NTCA on project proposals to the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).

A comprehensive review of the status of human-elephant conflict across the country was also undertaken, said an official statement.

The committee discussed findings from ongoing studies on conflict drivers and mitigation measures, along with the status and adequacy of compensation mechanisms adopted by elephant range states.

The meeting also deliberated on the evaluation of elephant population estimation methods, progress on integrated conservation and management strategies for the Ripu-Chirang Elephant Reserve, and future action plans, the statement said.

These include the conduct of Management Effectiveness Evaluation for all Elephant Reserves with CAMPA funding support and a proposed study on elephant corridors, habitat utilisation, and conflict hotspots in the Bandhavgarh region.

The Steering Committee reaffirmed the Government of India’s commitment to science-based conservation, inter-state coordination, technological innovation, and community-centric approaches to ensure a sustainable future for elephants and the people living in elephant landscapes.

–IANS

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