Guwahati, Aug 12: With an objective to boost community-driven efforts for conservation of Asian elepahants and facilitate coexistence through mitigation of human elephant conflict (HEC) on Assam- Meghalaya boundary, Forest Departments of Assam and Meghalaya as well as premier biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak collaborated to organise three highly competitive and entertaining foot matches at the playground of Barjhora High School under Lakhipur Forest Range of Goalpara District of Assam in presence of senior forest department officials from both the states, senior officials of Aaranyak, forest staff of both the states , executives of field staff of Aaranyak and a huge gathering of people from both states.
The football matches were organised for the third year on the trot on the World Elephant Day (Agust 12 ) under the banner of Elephant Cup Tournament that is expected to bolster inter communities as well as both the state forest departments coordination in dealing with raging HEC in the area as the wild elephants don’t recognise geographical inter-state boundary.