Three lives were lost due to elephant attacks in the past month in Deomali subdivision in Tirap district. Following this, a coordination meeting was held at the office of the additional deputy commissioner to chart a proactive course of action involving key stakeholders.
The participants appealed to the forest department to bring in wildlife experts to identify and manage rogue elephants. They also recommended the formation of a ‘rapid action group’ to respond swiftly to any future incidents involving wild elephants. Additionally, they requested the higher authorities to establish a Wildlife Department branch office in Deomali to ensure proper monitoring and intervention. Furthermore, they decided to organize awareness camps to educate the public on animal behaviour and safety measures to be adopted by citizens.
Earlier, the Forest Department had advised local residents to remain vigilant and avoid leaving food waste, such as rice beer residues, bananas, and tapioca near their homes, as these attract elephants. They also recommended planting king chilli plants around residential areas as a deterrent.
These recommendations must now be taken seriously, as the department is facing challenges, including shortage of personnel and the difficulty of tracking elephant movements in dense forests. The forest department should intensify surveillance efforts before more deaths occur in the area. The latest meeting has already suggested measures to mitigate the problem, and these suggestions need to be acted upon. If human lives are at stake, merely proposing changes is not acceptable. The root causes of these killings must be explored, and a proper mechanism should be put in place to prevent further human casualties.