Kathmandu, August 18
Rastriya Swatantra Party MP Prakash Pathak has drawn the government’s attention to the need for scientific management to control the terror caused by wild elephants.
Speaking during the House of Representatives meeting, he said the lives of residents in the Jhapa-3 constituency have been affected by wild elephants entering in large numbers from India, and he urged the government’s immediate attention toward controlling and managing the problem.
He said herds of elephants have been destroying paddy crops planted by farmers, damaging homes, and raising the risk of attacks at any time.
He demanded that the government adopt a policy of scientific management to control the elephants. He also drew the government’s attention to installing high-capacity transformers in elephant-affected areas and arranging solar streetlights along the roads.
Stressing that the state needs to focus on preparedness and effective management to prevent potential damage, he said the state should work to prevent damage altogether rather than merely expressing condolences and sympathy after damage has already occurred.
He said residents are living in fear for the safety of their children and elderly due to the elephant terror, adding that some citizens have been forced to relocate because of it.
Saying the measures currently used to control elephants have not been effective, he added that the presence of security mechanisms in the affected areas is also weak.
He said that when power supply is weak, homes lack adequate lighting, and without streetlights on roads, the risk from elephants increases further.
