Elephants to be given 'heritage animal' status by government
A move that could bring emancipation for the beast of burden, the union government is all set to accord heritage animal status to 'elephants' in the country. The move comes in the wake of dwindling number of elephant populace.
IN A move that could bring emancipation for the beast of burden, the union government is all set to accord heritage animal status to 'elephants' in the country. The move comes in the wake of dwindling number of elephant populace, an animal which is also revered in India as a religious icon.
Speaking on the proposed move, Union Environment and Forest minister Jairam Ramesh said that the preservation of elephants is crucial as it has been long associated with religion and culture of the country.
He further added that the ministry will soon declare the elephant as a national heritage animal, as it has been part of our heritage, since ages. The elephants too, needs to be given the same level of importance as it is given ti tigers and other big animals, he said.
The elephant task force which was set up by the ministry also recommended that a National Elephant Conservation Authority on the lines of National Tiger Conservation Authority be set up. The task force which is led by Mahesh Rangarajan had submitted its reports to the ministry and recommended that land corridors which are used by the elephants, while commuting through the forest patches ought to be secured as community and conservation reserves under the Wildlife Protection Act.
The recommendations made by the elephant task force include:
* National Elephant Conservation Authority to be set up
* Consortium of Elephant Research and Estimation to do studies on the pachyderm
* Declare elephant reserves as `ecologically sensitive areas' and lock land use
* Bring corridors under community reserves or conservation reserves
* Rs 600 crore budget in the 12th five-year plan
* Rs 200 crore of this to be spent on securing corridors
* Rs 100 crore to be spent on reducing and compensating for human-elephant conflicts
* Full time conflict management task forces in regions
* Declare elephant reserves as `ecologically sensitive areas' and lock land use
* Bring corridors under community reserves or conservation reserves
* Rs 600 crore budget in the 12th five-year plan
* Rs 200 crore of this to be spent on securing corridors
* Rs 100 crore to be spent on reducing and compensating for human-elephant conflicts
* Full time conflict management task forces in regions
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