GUWAHATI: Over 670 people have been killed in Assam in the last eight years in man-animal conflict while poachers killed over 60 wild animals in the state during the last three years. Maximum number of human casualties during the period have been reported from Sonitpur district in the north bank of Brahmaputra River.
Informing this in the state legislative Assembly here Thursday during the question hour, Assam’s Forest and Environment Minister, Pramila Rani Brahma said altogether 671 people had been killed by wild animals (elephant and tiger) during the period from 2011 to January 2018.
The year 2015 saw the highest number of human casualties with 147 deaths reported. District-wise, Sonitpur district recorded the highest number of deaths with 135 casualties during the period, followed by Udalguri district with 104 deaths and Goalpara 50 deaths.
During 2011-2017, ex-gratia amounting to Rs 4.79 crore has been paid by the state government to 414 affected families, the minister added.
Nearly 60 wild animals, including more than 50 rhinos, have been killed by poachers in Assam in the last three years. Informing this in the House, the minister admitted that militants were involved in poaching rackets.
Among the animals killed by poachers, rhinos accounted for the highest number with total 52 rhinos falling prey to the hunters. As many as 21 rhinos were poached in 2015, another 22 in 2016 and nine more in 2017.
The highest number of rhino poaching incidents were reported from Kaziranga National Park where 28 pachyderms were killed in 2016 and 2017.
Four elephants were poached in 2016 and 2017, while three tigers were killed by poachers over the same period in the state.
The minister said evidence of involvement of militants in the poaching racket has been unearthed by the police, while the poachers are dealt with under provisions of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. During 2015-2017, 316 poachers have been arrested by the police in the state.
Altogether 225 wild animals have died of various causes (other than poaching) in 2016 and 2017, with elephant deaths at 170 accounting for the highest number, followed by 29 leopards, 15 tigers and 12 deer.