Dhanbad: The forest department has initiated a series of safety measures in the Tundi forest region to reduce human-elephant conflict and protect villagers from wild elephant attacks.As part of the initiative, 150 torches and 100 traditional mashals, or fire torches, will be distributed among trained members of affected villages. Officials said the equipment will help volunteers detect elephant movement and alert residents at night.The department has also formed teams of ‘Hathi Mitras’ in affected villages, with five to 10 volunteers selected from each village. These volunteers will alert residents about the presence of elephants and help prevent confrontations between people and the animals.District forest officer Vikas Paliwal said, “The department is taking several steps to ensure the safety of people living in elephant-affected areas. The torches and mashals will be handed over to Hathi Mitras at Tundi this week in the presence of the local MLA. Along with protecting human lives, our priority is also to ensure the safety of wild elephants.“The forest department is also conducting awareness programmes to educate villagers about precautions during elephant movement. Paliwal advised residents not to sleep in places where foodgrains are stored, as elephants often enter villages in search of food. Officials said such storage points attract elephants, increasing the risk of damage to houses and dangerous encounters with residents.The initiative follows repeated incidents of elephant herds entering several villages in Tundi block, damaging property and creating panic among residents. In a recent incident, a villager was trampled to death by an elephant.
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