India Environment Portal Knowledge for change

Reduce the numbers

• 30/03/2003

The task before Project Elephant (PE)
Identify viable elephant populations and manage them. Take care of domestic elephants. Tackle nonviable populations.

On technical guidance to PE
There was to be a technical assistant attached to the directorate besides the steering committee. We have none till now.

Perspective plans for the 25 elephant reserves

There was a lack of priority and planning. These perspective plans are now being developed. Sixty per cent of the funds shall be used for reserves, now onwards.

Internal assessment of the PE
We undertook an internal evaluation in 2000-01. We found that the PE's work was not addressing its objectives. One shortcoming was the technical capability of the staff which is required for managing reserves. Officers in most cases did not know what is expected of them. Habitat improvement work was not monitored. Funds utilisation on a priority basis was missing.

Future of elephants in problem areas
We don't want the population in problem areas to increase. In days to come some populations may cease to exist naturally or we may capture or translocate. We should reduce the population to tolerable limits. We shall permit only those elephants to live that can survive peacefully with people.

On translocation