File photo of Laden. Picture credit: The Indian Express

Goalpara’s ‘Laden’, will be translocated to a new forest area far from the human habitations. The option is to be exercised after carrying out through inspection of the area of Laden’s movement and reconnaissance of the potential relocation site.

The decision was taken at an important meeting of Forest officials and elephant experts at Guwahati on Monday. In that meeting experts have come out with both short term and long term mitigation measures.

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The makna– a male elephant without a tusk is called so- has created terror in Goalpara district killing several people and damaging huts. The loner elephant of the district operates in around 300 square km of forest area.

Dr KK Sarma, HoD (Surgery and Radiology), veterinary college, Khanapara emphasized the need for involving local people in the anti-depredation squad and capacity building of forest personnel.

Elephant expert Kaushik Barua suggested the forest department to develop a team of trained elephants and pressed such a unit into service in strategically located divisions for mitigating elephant depredation.

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DFO, Goalpara, A Goswami emphasized the need for holding meeting with Meghalaya forest department as elephant corridors on Garo Hills have been blocked by local inhabitants.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forest DP Bankhwal suggested that the Urpad beel, a wetland, should be made as conservation reserve under the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.

It was decided in the meeting to set up a technical team under the leadership of Dr KK Sarma. It was further decided to set up a local team under the leadership of DFO, Goalpara for anti-depredation works and organizing meeting with the local administration.