Ranchi, Feb 19 The issue of elephant attacks reverberated through the Jharkhand Assembly on Thursday, as MLAs raised alarm over the increasing number of deaths and demanded urgent government intervention.
On the second day of the Budget Session, Mandu MLA Nirmal Mahto of All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) staged a sit-in protest on the steps of the Assembly, holding a banner and accusing the state government and the Forest Department of gross negligence in tackling the escalating man-animal conflict.
He said more than 10 people have died in separate elephant attacks across the state, alleging that despite the rising casualties, the Forest Department has failed to establish an effective monitoring mechanism to track elephant movements.
He said the pachyderms suddenly enter villages and even urban pockets, causing loss of life and property, but the government is doing nothing.
The MLA linked the movement of elephants into human settlements to rampant illegal mining activities. He alleged that illegal coal and iron ore extraction, along with night-time blasting in mining zones, has severely disturbed the elephants’ natural habitats.
"A government that claims to protect ‘Jal, Jungle, aur Zameen’ (water, forest and land) has failed to safeguard natural resources," he alleged.
Mahto also expressed strong dissatisfaction over the compensation being provided to the families of victims. At present, the state government provides Rs 4 lakh as ex gratia assistance in cases of death due to elephant attacks. Calling the amount “grossly inadequate”, he demanded that compensation be increased to Rs 20 lakh or Rs 30 lakh.
In addition, he sought a government job for one member of each affected family and accused the government of failing to fulfil promises regarding the reconstruction of houses damaged by elephant incursions.
He alleged that instead of proper rehabilitation, only token assistance is being given. This is unjust to families who have lost their breadwinners and homes, he said.
The MLA demanded a comprehensive policy framework to address the human-elephant conflict, including scientific monitoring of elephant corridors, stricter action against illegal mining, and a time-bound rehabilitation plan for affected families.
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