Balancing Conservation and Development: India's Wildlife Protection Challenge

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav discussed the deaths of elephants in Assam due to a train collision and emphasized the need for coordinated efforts to protect wildlife. Measures for conserving Aravalli and improved cooperation for monitoring elephant movements were highlighted amidst financial allocations for tiger and elephant conservation projects.

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav has called for a detailed report on the elephant deaths caused by a train collision in Assam's Hojai district. The minister disclosed this during discussions on conservation initiatives in the Sundarbans, highlighting gaps in wildlife protection efforts.

Yadav emphasized that no leniency was being permitted regarding the preservation efforts in the Aravalli region, where mining is restricted to just 0.19% of the area. He stressed compliance with Supreme Court rulings on defining the Aravalli Hills and Ranges as part of the national conservation strategy.

The minister acknowledged the challenge of preventing elephant deaths on railway tracks and stressed the need for collaboration between railway authorities and state forest departments. Despite allocated funds, financial utilization for conservation projects remains insufficient, he warned.

(With inputs from agencies.)