Inspector general of Forests and director, Project Elephant, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India, Noyal Thomas, has stated that both Governments of India and Nagaland were concerned about the protracted problem of Human–Elephant conflict prevalent in Wokha district. He said that the ministry would extend all possible assistance for mitigation of the conflict.
A press release from the PCCF & chief wildlife warden Nagaland, Satya Prakash Tripathi, stated that Noyal was speaking at a human-elephant (wild animals) conflict mitigation awareness campaign organised at Hammock Resort, Wokha Town, on February 27 by the Forest department, Nagaland.
In his speech, Noyal also appealed to the villagers to not harm elephants, and follow adoptive cropping patterns. He added that the state government should release funds given for the human-animal conflict mitigation purposes, on time and promised that the ministry would take up the matter of timely release of funds with the state government so that Human-Elephant Conflict prevalent in the district could be addressed.
Noyal also informed the gathering that the ministry would try to allocate more funds for Nagaland, and particularly for addressing the issue in Wokha district. He further suggested that the Forest department officials and village representatives should visit Garo Hills Elephant reserve in Meghalaya, as suggested by DFO Wokha in the Annual Action Plan for 2019-20.
Satya Prakash Tripathi, in his key note address, spoke about how human-animal conflict prevalent in the state began, in general and the elephant problem in Wokha district in particular. He highlighted policies of the state government and the MoEF&CC, GoI, New Delhi for addressing the problem. Through a slide-show, he highlighted the history, extent, assessment and payment of compensation, and possible solution to the problem. He appealed to the people to protect forest and wildlife and to contact forest officials immediately in case of damages to their crops, property or human life. He also gave a presentation on the status of community reserves in the state of Nagaland.
SDO(C) Wokha, Chonpenthung Ezung, said that farmers of Wokha are dependent on subsistence agriculture and the district administration, through DDMA Wokha, also dispenses timely help to affected villagers but the amount given is meagre. He, therefore, requested the central government to look into the matter.
DAO Wokha, Santsu Yanthan, and DFO Wokha, Zuthunglo Patton, also spoke in the program.
It was chaired by Wildlife Warden Dimapur, Tokaho Kinimi, invocation prayer was said by deacon WVBC, Mhonchumo Lotha, and a vote of thanks was said by DFO Doyang plantation division, Chisayi Vadeo.
Around 150 persons, officers from the district administration, Police, Forest, Agriculture departments, chairmen and members of village councils, with sponsorship of the MoEF&CC, GoI, New Delhi, participated in the program.