2 weeks Ago By Rabindra Nath Choudhury
Heads started rolling in the case relating to the recent incident of death of ten elephants in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) in Madhya Pradesh with chief minister Mohan Yadav on Sunday ordering suspension of two senior forest officers on charges of dereliction of duty. The development comes after Mr Yadav held a review meeting here on the issue on Sunday evening. The two forest officers who were placed under suspension were field director of BTR Gaurav Choudhury and assistant conservator of forest (ACF), Panpath, under BTR Fatesingh Ninema.
Mr Choudhury has been suspended for having failed to return from his leave after such a huge tragedy and for switching off his mobile phone in violation of service rules, Mr Yadav said. Mr Yadav said that a preliminary probe report has found no foul play in the tragic incident of deaths of ten elephants in BTR over 72 hours since October 29. The preliminary findings also suggest that the ‘kodo’ (millet) crops raised in the buffer area of the BTR were not treated with any pesticide, he said.
It was earlier believed that the elephants might have consumed the kodo crops treated with pesticides leading to their deaths. Mr Yadav constituted a probe panel headed by state junior forest minister Pradeep Ahirwar to investigate into the matter, a couple of days ago. He also announced that the ex-gratia for the two people killed by the tuskers in BTR recently has been increased from Rs eight lakh to Rs 25 lakh each.
He said that a long-term plan was being prepared to deal with human-elephant conflict in Madhya Pradesh, a new phenomenon in the state. Herds of elephants have started migrating to Madhya Pradesh from Chhattisgarh and a big herd has settled in BTR after finding the reserve forest conducive for them to live, leading to the recent incidents of human-elephant conflicts in some forests in the state, he said. “It is a new experience for Madhya Pradesh and we have to make a long-term plan to deal with the issue to ensure safety of people and also that elephants become very much part of our jungles”, he added.
He said that the state government was planning to implement best practices of the states in the country dealing with the issue, in Madhya Pradesh..
