Request to PM for action to mitigate damage caused by elephants

By Bishnu Prasad Pokhrel,Damak, Mar. 16: The Chairperson of Kamal Rural Municipality Hukum Singh Rai presented a memorandum to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli urging him to outline an effective plan to control wild elephants in the area. 

Kamal Rural Municipality located in Jhapa made this request after informing Prime Minister Oli that four people from Kamal Rural Municipality had recently lost their lives due to elephant attacks.

Rai said that wild elephants have been entering human settlements frequently, causing significant damage to property and endangering lives. 

Since the rural municipality lies within Prime Minister Oli's electoral constituency, Chairperson Rai formally presented the written demand meeting Prime Minister Oli in his residence in Baluawatar. Elephants reportedly enter settlements from the Ratuwamai Afforestation Project forest located north of the East-West Highway.

According to Rai, he personally met Prime Minister Oli and submitted a written request on behalf of the municipality, urging the implementation of necessary plans and programmes for elephant control. “We have demanded a long-term plan to resolve the elephant problem,” Rai said.

Residents of Ward Nos. 3, 4 and 5 have been particularly affected by this issue. Chairperson Rai stated that Prime Minister Oli had responded positively to their concerns. The memorandum mentioned that wild elephants destroy five to seven houses daily and damage stored food grains and crops.

Rai also said that the discussion included measures to mitigate damage caused by the Ratuwa and Kamal rivers, which frequently pose a threat to the municipality. 

“We also discussed ways to reduce the damage caused by the rivers,” he said. Prime Minister Oli reportedly assured that he had always been attentive to the need for river control measures.