The Chhattisgarh government’s recent proposition to decrease the Lemru Elephant Reserve’s size from 1,995 sq km to 450 sq km has drawn attention towards the importance of elephant reserves in India. This reserve, located in the Korba district of the state, was established with the main aim to reduce human-animal conflict and preserve the habitat of the elephants. This move was approved by the Centre in 2007, and the area was later expanded in 2019.
The Lemru Elephant Reserve: An Insight
Originally, the Chhattisgarh government chose to augment the reserve area under Section 36A of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 (WLPA), in October 2020. This section allows the Union government to participate in the notification process if the conservation reserve designation includes regions owned by the Centre. It should be noted that the WLPA does not recognize elephant reserves.
Behind the Reduction in Reserve Size
The proposed region for the reserve is part of the Hasdeo Aranya forests, an ecologically diverse area abundant in coal deposits. Among the 22 coal blocks present here, seven have been assigned with three functioning as mines and the rest in the process of being set up. The primary challenge in extending the reserve’s area is that various coal mines would become inaccessible.
Elephants in North Chhattisgarh
Home to more than 240 elephants, North Chhattisgarh has reported over 150 elephant deaths in 20 years, with 16 fatalities between June-October 2020 alone. Elephants in Chhattisgarh migrated from undivided Madhya Pradesh (MP) during 1990. As MP had a policy to deter animals coming from Jharkhand, the formation of Chhattisgarh and the lack of a formal policy allowed elephants to create a corridor route in the north and central parts of the state. Human-elephant conflict began when these new inhabitants started straying into populated areas looking for food.
Other Protected Areas in Chhattisgarh
Apart from the Lemru Elephant Reserve, Chhattisgarh shelters several other protected areas such as Achanakmar Tiger Reserve, Indravati Tiger Reserve, Sitanadi-Udanti Tiger Reserve, Kanger Valley National Park, and Badalkhol Tamor Pingla Elephant Reserve.
The Status and Initiatives for Elephant Conservation
Elephants are considered a keystone species with three main subspecies – the Indian, Sumatran, and Sri Lankan. In India, the elephants are given Schedule I status under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and are also listed as ‘Endangered’ by the IUCN Red List and CITES: Appendix I.
Conservation efforts include initiatives like Gaj Yatra, a nationwide campaign launched on World Elephant Day 2017, and Project Elephant started in 1992. Recently, Odisha’s Athagarh Forest Division initiated a seed bomb project to avoid man-elephant conflict by enhancing the food stock for wild elephants in reserve areas. Furthermore, the Supreme Court upheld the Nilgiris elephant corridor’s right of passage, validating the closure of resorts in this region to protect elephants.
International Elephant Conservation Efforts
Globally, the Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) programme, commenced in 2003, keeps track of data related to unlawful elephant killings across Africa and Asia. This initiative helps in monitoring the efficacy of conservation efforts on the ground.
