Green Minute News:
With human-wildlife conflict rising in Karnataka, 239 people have died in the last five years. Every year, on an average 55-60 people have died in wildlife attacks in the state. The loss of forest habitat and fragmentation has resulted in elephants and tigers straying into human settlements that has resulted in an acute conflict situation in Karnataka .
In 1972, there were only 12 tigers in Bandipur. Today in 2025, there are more than 153 tigers. The number of tigers has sizably increased in this protected area. Further, the human-wildlife conflict has aggravated and worsened due to the decrease in the forest area and habitat for tigers.
It is surprising that the state Forest Ministry has not come out with the statistics of the death of tigers, elephants and leopards that have died in a conflict situation in the last five years but only come out with statistics on human deaths in conflict situation in the last five years.
DEATH OF PEOPLE IN WILDLIFE ATTACKS
In 2021-22, 41 people died. Of these, 28 were killed in elephant attacks, two in tiger attacks and 11 in other animal attacks.
In 2022-23, 57 people died in wildlife attacks. While 32 people died in elephant attacks, 5 people died in tiger attacks.
In 2023-24, a total of 65 people died, of which 48 were killed in elephant attacks and 5 in tiger attacks.
In 2024-25, 46 people died, 36 died in elephant attacks and two in tiger attacks.
In 2025-26, 30 people have died till date in wildlife attacks so far. Of these, 20 people died in elephant attacks and 4 in tiger attacks.
MANAGEMENT TASK FORCE
In a series of initiatives announced, the state govt will set up a state-level Management Task Force for dealing with the rising conflict issue. Further, action will be taken against forest officials if rules are violated. This task force will conduct a comprehensive study on the influx of wildlife into the fringe villages and will also review the negligence of officers and staff.
Announcing this initiative, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said this in an interaction with farmers and the public on the challenging conflict issues at Kollegal, Chamarajanagar district on November 2, Sunday. In the control of human-wildlife conflict, if negligence or dereliction of duty by officials is proven when wildlife is killed, stern action will be taken, Khandre added.
STRICT ACTION TO BE TAKEN
Responding to a query from the media whether action would be taken against some officers who were having fun with their families in the forest, Khandre clarified that the rules are the same for everyone. If any officer violates the rules, strict action will be taken against them.
ILLEGAL HOMESTAYS, RESORTS IN PA, ESZ WILL NOT BE ALLOWED
Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre clarified that the Congress government has not allowed any illegal homestays or resorts or illegal stone quarrying or mining in any forest area of the state be it protected areas or the Eco-Sensitive Zones like Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Nagarhole Tiger Reserve or others.
Speaking at a farmers and public interaction program on the forest problems of the district held at the Zilla Panchayat Hall in Chamarajanagar, Khandre assured that if there is a clear complaint, strict action will be taken if illegal mining, quarrying or setting up of homestays, resorts are going on in the forest area.
In addition, he said, all the suggestions given by farmers and the public in the Sunday meeting will be compiled, discussed and implemented.
CROP DAMAGES & SAFARI CUT
The forest department has already formed two expert committees to study the issue of wildlife like elephants, tigers, leopards, gaur, bear and other species entering coffee estates, plantations, and farmlands in rural areas and will try to find a solution. There is a demand for increasing the compensation for damage to livestock. The Forest Minister said that this issue will be discussed with the Chief Minister soon.
The last safari trip in Bandipur Tiger Reserve has already been cut short, he said, adding that if wildlife is coming to the villages from the safari, further restrictions will be imposed on the safari.
USE OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY
It is not possible to patrol thousands of square kilometres of forests completely in the state. Therefore, steps have been taken to create a comprehensive command centre to provide information to the public using modern technology and to send wildlife back to the forest, the Forest Minister said.
He said that senior officials should not sit in their offices, but should go to the conflict villages and settle the problem on the spot. Forest officials should not switch off their phones and respond to the people immediately.
CRITERIA FOR CAPTURE OPERATIONS
The Standard criteria should be strictly followed while conducting tiger and elephant capture operations. Khandre also said that appropriate training will be provided to the personnel participating in tiger and elephant capture operations.
Currently, the Animal Husbandry Department is getting the services of veterinarians on loan. Therefore, a proposal has already been submitted to create a cadre of wildlife doctors and make direct recruitment for effective management of wildlife in the state.
POWER, WATER TO ENCLOSURES IN FOREST
Villages where there are no electricity connection and no drinking water supply to the residential areas on the fringe and inside the forests and PA, it will be advised to give permission as per the rules so as not to cause any problem in providing infrastructure.
A proposal has already been submitted to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and the NTCA – seeking to provide electricity and water connection to enclosures inside the tiger reserve areas. However, the Centre has rejected some of the proposals but senior forest officials have been asked to obtain permission from MoEFCC.
BEYOND OUR CONTROL
Every life is precious. The government’s stance is that not a single person should die. However, such conflict incidents are happening which is beyond our control. In this regard, a control task force is being formed to control human-wildlife conflict. The Forest Minister explained that local people will also be included in this.
The interaction program was attended by District In-charge Minister K. Venkatesh, Social Welfare Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, MLAs Ganesh Prasad, Krishnamurthy, Anil Chikkamadu, Darshan Dhruva Narayan, Puttarangashetty, MLC Manjegowda, Chamarajanagar District Commissioner Shilpanag, Mysore District Commissioner Laxmikant Reddy, PCCF Meenakshi Negi, Chief Wildlife Warden P.C. Ray and senior officials of the Forest Department.