There are tons of written documents from many travellers and official gazetteers stating the presence of elephants in the far east of the Highlands of central India i.e. the state of Chhattisgarh. Around the late 1800s, there were around 300 elephants that caused havoc to lives and property in the area of Matin, Aitma, Lafagarh and Uprora villages of Bilaspur district which is now Katghora forest division of Chhattisgarh. In the time of the Mughals, many elephants from this particular area were captured and taken to different parts of the country to serve in the elephant infantry of the army division.
In the early years of the 1900s, slowly the herds of elephants shifted to the states of Orissa and Jharkhand. Due to the increasing pressure of mining and deforestation coupled with a lack of food and safety in Jharkhand and Orissa, these herds of elephants again started to visit the Katghora division in the early 2000s. Since then, their numbers kept on increasing followed by an increased number of conflicts, crop depredation, and loss of lives and property. Right now, about 50 elephants reside permanently in the forests of Katghora in 4 ranges affecting around 200 villages.
Conflict management
These parts of Chhattisgarh traditionally depend on agriculture and collection of minor forest produce. Elephants feed on crops like paddy, and maize which are grown in major agricultural fields adjoining the habitat of the elephants. Also, the collection of MFPs like Char (Buchanania lanzan), Mahua (Madhuca indica), and Tendupatta etc are done mostly in and around the elephant areas. These crops attract the elephants when they are sown in the areas on the edge of forests and when the crops are harvested and the grains are stored in hutments and houses of the villagers. Villagers used to drive elephants when they came to their fields and houses for these crops through drum beating, crackers, chilli mixed dung cakes, solar low-cost Galvanized Iron fencing and the Hakkah method (loud shouting by large groups of people). These methods result in a lot of conflicts and animosity against the elephants.
Measures taken by the department
1) Formation of Hathi Mitra dal-Young men who are physically fit, adept in handling and operating mobile phones, who know how to drive motorcycles who voluntarily come forward to assist the forest department, are selected. Generally, 4-8 such people are selected in a range for Haathi Mitra dal. They are paid daily wages (collector rate) and initially given training about human-elephant conflict reduction through experts. They are given proper kits like a camouflage uniform, boot, high beam torch, whistle, GPS, mobile phone with internet, smart sticks which are equipped with a siren, magnetic compass, light, USB charger and a low voltage current to handle situations where they are closer to elephants and other wildlife.
2) Formation of RRTs comprising a Range officer, two Foresters, a Forest guard, a Computer operator, 2 Daily wage staff, a driver and a vehicle which keeps track of the daily movements of elephants and especially monitors the movement of loner elephants which causes maximum damage.
3) Establishment of Elephant Control Centre in the epicentre of the Elephant area consisting of facilities like a Control room with a computer, vehicles fitted with an announcing system for the movement of RRT, equipment like helmets for RRT, Protection gear, Smart sticks and Kitchen, a Gaj rath fitted with projector, battery with inverter to show movies to villagers in haat bazaar about ways and measures to be taken in elephant areas for their safety and how to co-exist with the animal.
Also, a roaster of staff in two shifts i.e. morning 8 am to 4 pm and evening 4 pm to 8 am which is led by a gazetted officer, works simultaneously with RRT to assist them. These staff are sent to track different herds and to alert the villagers through an announcing system. These staff also calculate crop damage and other losses faced by the villagers so that the villagers can get compensation in time.
