Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre | Photo credit: file photo
Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said on Saturday that the state government has decided to set up a mild release center to address human-elephant conflict and ₹53 crore has been released for the purpose.
Participating in an interaction with local people on the Balehonnur conflict in NR Pura taluk of Chikkamagaluru district, he said the government is well aware of the conflict and is determined to resolve it.
Officers were preparing a detailed project to set up a soft release centre. Once the center is established, the department will capture wild elephants causing trouble and move them to the center.
The department has proposed to set up a center at Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary. Under the proposed plan, troublesome elephants would be captured and gradually released into the wild. They would be kept in a 20 km2 enclosure for several months before being released into the wild.
Death
The interaction with the minister was organized in the wake of two deaths due to recent elephant attacks in Chikkamagaluru.
Mr. Khandre said there were 65 to 70 deaths per year due to wild animals in the state. The government took measures to avoid conflict.
“The conflict has a long history. Capturing elephants and relocating them is not an easy task. People who participated in the operation died after being attacked by elephants. Similarly, the Arjuna beetle also died during the operation. The conflict is intensifying due to the increase in the number of animals and the reduction of forest cover,” said the minister.
The ministry, he said, was considering a proposal to set up 140 km long railway barricades to prevent elephants from moving into human habitations. Work on laying the barricade for the seven-kilometer stretch will begin soon, he added.
Malenadu-Karavali Janapra Okkoota convener Sudhir Kumar Murolli demanded that the ex-gratia payment given to families of victims of wild animal attacks be increased to ₹50 lakh from ₹20 lakh. Similarly, families should get a pension of ₹20,000. He also urged the minister to set up a fund for the treatment of people injured in wild animal attacks.
Sringeri MLA TD Raje Gowda, Bhadra CADA Chairman Dr. Amshumanth and senior officers of the forest department were present on the programme.
Published – 01 March 2026 18:49 IST
