West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said a number of measures have been taken recently to curb depredation by elephants in the state.
"Steps are being to stop depredation by the elephants. Some people express their sympathy for elephants. I also love elephants but human life is also valuable," she said.
"Their (elephant) number has gone up manifold. They are coming from Jharkhand, Orissa and Nepal. Forest department has to take decision (to stop the menace) considering all aspects," the Chief Minister said.
The Chief Secretary would talk to the Forest department and this problem would be looked into seriously, she said.
State Forest Minister Benoy Krishna Burman had recently stated that the Bengal government has sought the Centre's nod to catch wild elephants and not to kill them to protect farmlands and lives of people.
"The elephants often stray into farmlands, destroy crops and attack people causing enormous loss of lives and property including crops," Burman had said.
Wild elephants had killed over 100 people in the state last year, of which 70 were in south Bengal, he had said.
