JHAPA: Over the past two decades, 97 people have lost their lives and 41 elephants have died due to human-elephant conflict in Koshi Province, according to the Provincial Forest Directorate in Dharan.
Directorate Chief Dr. Indra Prasad Sapkota said the fatalities occurred between fiscal year 2005/06 and the current fiscal year in the districts of Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Udayapur, and Ilam. In the same period, 87 people were seriously injured and 15 sustained minor injuries in elephant attacks.
Among the five districts, Jhapa recorded the highest number of human casualties, with 72 deaths, followed by Morang with 17, Sunsari with seven, and Ilam with one. Dr. Sapkota attributed the high toll in Jhapa to its proximity to India, where wild elephants frequently cross into Nepal.
During the same period, 25 elephants died in Jhapa, nine in Morang, six in Sunsari, and one in Udayapur. Dr. Sapkota noted that large amounts of government funds are being spent on wildlife conservation, compensation for victims, and crop damage relief. He stressed the need for local communities to be more alert and cooperative in reducing the conflict.
“If locals take equal responsibility along with the government, we can significantly reduce human-elephant conflict,” he said.
The federal government currently provides Rs 1 million as compensation for each human fatality caused by wild animals, and between Rs 25,000 and Rs 100,000 for medical treatment of the injured.
To mitigate conflict, the Koshi Province government has allocated Rs 5 million this fiscal year for crop insurance programs in elephant-affected areas. According to Dr. Sapkota, the budget was coordinated with local governments through the Division Forest Office.
“Depending on the effectiveness and potential of the program, we will request the federal government to help sustain and institutionalize it in the future,” he added.
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