Baripada: “If elephants are protected alongside forests for future generations, the environment can remain secured,” Dharitri and Orissa POST Editor of Tathagata Satpathy said Friday, emphasising the importance of modern education in elephant conservation.
Addressing ‘Hatinka Gati’, a meeting on elephant movement and conservation, at Khairi Resort in Bangiriposi of Mayurbhanj district, Satpathy appreciated the steps, including a special policy for protection of elephants, taken by the Mohan Charan Majhi government. Organised by Sangram, a nonprofit working for conservation of wildlife, the session was chaired by the organisation’s secretary, Bhanumitra Acharya, who highlighted recent steps taken to protect wild animals and forests.
Discussions also focused on fundamental questions like how to protect elephants while keeping humans safe. Participants at the meeting also welcomed these initiatives. The newspapers’ Chief Executive Adyasha Satpathy highlighted the necessary steps to secure elephant corridors. She suggested certain measures like ensuring natural food availability in forests, providing compensation for crop loss in a seamless manner, and monitoring elephant activities. Tools such as drums, recorded tiger roars, and the buzzing sound of honeybees can help guide elephants safely and reduce conflict with humans, she added. Locals can track the movement of elephants if they are provided with high-mast torch lights, she maintained. Former MP and a Mayurbhanj royal, Praveen Chandra Bhanjdeo, noted a recent decline in elephant population but said healthy elephants feed at various locations.
Maharani Rashmi Rajyalakshmi Bhanjdeo stressed that everyone must take responsibility for elephant safety. Other attendees included Bangriposi ranger Maheshwar Singh and local volunteers from various villages who have actively contributed to these initiatives. Local schoolchildren welcomed the guests with music, and the programme included presentations on the organisation’s goals and updates on elephant conservation measures.
On this occasion, volunteers working in the field of forest and wildlife protection were honoured. Saudamini Mahakud from Punashia village, Ratnamani Shi from Manda village, Dillip Kumar Nayak from Jagannathpur village, Rajesh Marandi from Tulsibani village, and Bulu Nayak from Uania village were recognised for their exemplary work. Environmentalist Tara Prasad Das offered a vote of thanks.