Bhupender Yadav Stresses Community Role in Elephant Conservation
Dehradun | June 27, 2025: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, chaired the 21st Steering Committee Meeting of Project Elephant at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA), Dehradun. The session brought together wildlife experts, forest officials, and conservationists from across India.
The meeting placed strong emphasis on the growing issue of human-elephant conflict (HEC). Minister Yadav stressed the need to involve local communities as active stakeholders in conservation. He pointed out that people living near elephant corridors face the brunt of crop loss and property damage. Empowering them can help mitigate conflict and build trust in wildlife protection efforts.
Community-Based Conservation Is Key
“Without the support of villagers and forest-fringe communities, no conservation effort can succeed,” said Shri Yadav. He advocated for integrating traditional knowledge with modern conservation science. The Minister also urged support for frontline forest staff through better working conditions and social security benefits.
Inter-Ministerial Collaboration
Shri Yadav called for enhanced coordination with agencies like the Indian Railways, Ministry of Power, NHAI, and mine developers. The goal is to reduce elephant deaths caused by train collisions, power lines, and habitat encroachments.
Key Updates and Reports Released
- 77 high-risk railway zones identified after 3,452.4 km of surveys.
- Release of a report on elephant-train collisions and mitigation strategies.
- Launch of a study covering 23 years of HEC in Assam, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh.
- 1,911 elephant DNA profiles completed across 22 states.
- Phase-I of North-East elephant population estimation completed with 16,500 dung samples collected.
- Advisory issued on ethical tusk trimming of captive elephants.
- Release of the latest edition of Trumpet, the official Project Elephant newsletter.
Future Plans and Events
The Committee discussed the finalization of the Nilgiri Elephant Conservation Plan (ECP) by December 2025. It also proposed a three-year elephant tracking study in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve.
Other upcoming actions include:
- Management Effectiveness Evaluations (MEE) for elephant reserves with CAMPA support.
- Integrated conservation strategy for the Ripu-Chirang Elephant Reserve with special focus on the Udalguri landscape.
- World Elephant Day celebrations on August 12, 2025 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, featuring the Gaj Gaurav Awards.
Conclusion
Project Elephant is entering a new phase—one where community, data, and collaboration come together. Minister Bhupender Yadav’s message was clear: Only when local people are seen as partners—not obstacles—can India secure a safe and thriving future for its majestic elephants.