Legislators demand fresh elephant census in Meghalaya

Opposition parties in Meghalaya today sought a fresh census be conducted to determine the number of wild elephants in view of the alleged increase in poaching and electrocution of the pachyderm in the state.
"I suggest a fresh census be conducted to determine the number of wild elephants in the state," National People Party legislator James K Sangma said as he sought information on the latest number of the elephants.
Sangma also brought to the notice of the State Assembly that a lot of poaching and electrocution of the elephants have been carried out since 2008, when the last census was conducted.

Forest and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong informed the Assembly that as per the 2008 census, there were 1,811 elephants in the state, a figure which Sangma contested.
"This 1,811 number might have come down by now," he said.
Sangma suggested the need for creation of elephant corridors to prevent man-animal conflict.

Echoing similar concerns, South Tura Independent legislator John Leslee Sangma also informed the House that there has been a lot of encroachment into the elephant corridors, causing man-animal conflict.
He said the North Eastern Hill University campus and the police battalion in Nokrek has come in the way of the elephant corridor due to which there were reports of the elephants entering the university campus.

The legislator also sought clarification on the ex-gratia payment pending for release in the Garo Hills region due to the victims of the man-animal conflict.
Tynsong said the pending amount yet to be received by the government is Rs 2.46 crore which is meant not only for ex- gratia but different components to address the conflict.
Spelling out the steps taken to address the issue, Tynsong said besides declaration of elephant reserve, constitution of community reserve, afforestation and habitat improvement have been taken up as a long-term measure.
He said the short-term measures included setting up voluntary protection squads, construction of physical barriers, ex-gratia payment and creating awareness among the locals.

Meanwhile, the minister also informed that the total forest cover area of the state in the year 2011 was 17,275 sq km and in 2013, it was 17,288.
The Forest Survey of India (FSI) assesses forest cover of the country in biennial cycle which is once in two years, he added.