Impact of Human Elephant Conflict on People's Wellbeing in West Bengal

Abstract

One of the major issues in wildlife management is Human-Wildlife conflict. Over the last two decades, the problem has only increased because of growing population, economic activities, both in privately and publicly run. Often these activities lack inter-departmental co-ordination or advanced planning. Environmental Impact Assessment are either not carried out or executed effectively. West Bengal, has to its strategic geographical location in the terms of biodiversity, it acts as inter-state and inter-country elephant corridors at several places, both at south Bengal and at North Bengal. The current study focus upon Human-Elephant Conflict in North and South West Bengal (mainly on Doors-Terai and Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore) which are being experienced with increased intensity because of several development activities which are being executed with little attention for the region's legacy as a richly biodiverse zone. The study looks into factors which cause harm to peoples and Elephants life. The migration of herds from Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary, situated in the State of Jharkhand started migrating to Jhargram Division in the state of West Bengal; chequered pattern of land distribution in the region where tea gardens, human settlements and forests are knitted with each other.