Lemru Elephant Reserve, Central East India (near Odisha); reducing Human/Elephant Conflict

Lemru Elephant Reserve, Central East India (near Odisha): This proposed reserve will help reduce human/elephant. Human/elephant conflict is skyrocketing in Chhattisgarh State, with 322 people killed in the last five years. Coal mines, both existing and new ones, are stealing away historical elephant habitat and the elephants are being forced to find new habitat in Madhya Pradesh, or raid villagers homes and cultivations for their own survival!

"At present, the state has over 247 elephants spread across 30,000 sq km in nine districts of Chhattisgarh – Surguja, Surajpur, Jashpur, Balrampur, Korba, Raigarh, Mahasamund, Bilaspur and Raipur."

In response, the new government is proposing the establishment of the Lemru Elephant Reserve. The 1,995 square kilometres reserve is intended to reduce human/elephant conflict. This includes shutting down some existing coal mines and stopping the establishment of new ones. 39 villages will be affected by this project.

Perhaps not surprisingly, many of the locals are voicing resistance to the plan. The coal mines are doing a disinformation campaign to convince the locals that the reserve is against the villagers best interests.

It must be broadcast wide and clearly....this Reserve will protect ALL existing forest uses by local people. It is the corporations and outside monied interests that will be kept away from exploiting the forests and stealing away its resources for foreign use and profit.

The way of life enjoyed by the local people will be forever protected - their forests will not be denuded, water quality lost forever, and land stripped of soil. The elephants, all other wildlife and the sustainable use of forest resources will again....forever be available for the villages. Now, who wouldn't want that?

Coal mines are being phased out all over the world anyway! To lose the legacy of your village's healthy forest for the short term profit of a multinational corporation...that's self-sabotage.

Please, don't fall for the glossy lies of the corporations - they only have their self-interest in mind, while you have generations of grandchildren that will be forever living in coexistence with a healthy forest.