Bonai, Sept 30: Protecting forests is not only about conserving wildlife but also about safeguarding people’s lives and livelihoods.

With human-elephant conflict increasing in several areas, better coordination is needed to ensure the safety of both humans and elephants and promote peaceful coexistence.

In this regard, the Bonai Forest Division of Sundargarh district held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss measures for improving coordination and creating awareness among local communities.
 

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The meeting was organised ahead of Wildlife Week 2026, which will focus on strengthening public awareness about wildlife conservation and human-wildlife coexistence.

Representatives of various voluntary organisations also participated in the meeting.

Discussions focused on involving local communities and volunteers in awareness programmes to educate people about wildlife protection and ways to reduce human-elephant conflict.