Kalahandi, June 13: Odisha Forest Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia on Friday inaugurated the state's first elephant training centre at Simelpadar in Kalahandi district during his visit as part of the BJP government's celebrations marking two years in office.
The training centre has been established in the Karlapat region, a crucial elephant corridor known for frequent movement of wild elephants. The facility aims to improve elephant management and address the growing challenges associated with human-elephant interactions in the area.
According to the minister, the centre will help monitor and regulate elephant movement, reducing the risks posed by increasing elephant activity in the region. In recent years, conflicts among elephants have reportedly resulted in the deaths of several animals, while incidents involving wild tuskers have also become a matter of concern for local residents.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Khuntia said the centre would play a vital role in understanding and managing elephant behaviour, thereby helping to minimise both human-elephant and elephant-elephant conflicts.
In addition to the training centre, the minister also inaugurated a wildlife monitoring tower designed to strengthen surveillance efforts and enhance the protection of wild animals in the Karlapat landscape.
Officials believe the new initiatives will contribute significantly to wildlife conservation, improve monitoring capabilities, and promote safer coexistence between humans and elephants in the region.
