Bhubaneswar, February 7: In a major push towards wildlife conservation, the Odisha Government on Saturday held a high-level workshop on human-wildlife conflict mitigation at the State Convention Centre, Lok Seva Bhawan.
Presiding over the session via video conference, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia proposed the implementation of a structured, roster-based system for community volunteers, specifically targeting the roles of Gaja Sathis and Bidyut Praharis.
He emphasised that resolving these conflicts requires dedication that can only be achieved through continuous, 24×7 oversight of wildlife movements.
To ensure the strategy was grounded in reality, he engaged directly with field volunteers sharing firsthand challenges, addressed concerns raised by MLAs joining from various districts, and integrated the specialised perspectives of NGO representatives.
The workshop featured insights from Prem Kumar Jha, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, who addressed the participants. Following this, Dr. Manoj V. Nair, Additional PCCF (Wildlife), delivered a detailed presentation on human-wildlife conflict in Odisha.
Dr. Nair emphasised that a “comprehensive action plan” is now in place, noting that periodic reviews have already led to visible improvements in human-elephant conflict scenarios.
The workshop concluded as a collaborative forum, bringing together protection squads and grassroots workers to refine the state’s response to wildlife encounters and ensure the safety of both local residents and the state’s biodiversity.
