Union minister Bhupender Yadav seeks report on Assam elephant deaths, stresses on Aravalli protection

UNion government minister Bhupender Yadav on lord's day said the Centre has sought-after(a) a cover on the dying of elephants in a train collision in Assam’s Hojai district and asserted that no relaxation has been granted on the protection of the Aravalli region.Speaking to reporters after meetings on Project Elephant and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) at the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve in West Bengal, Yadav said all states have been asked to monitor elephant movement along railway tracks and coordinate with forest departments.Also read | ‘Lifeline', 'Natural shield for NCR': Oppn ramps up criticism on Supreme Court Aravalli order"Railway authorities have been directed to work with state forest departments on elephant movement along the tracks. A report on elephant deaths in Assam has been sought," the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Changes said.Seven elephants were killed after a herd was hit by the Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express early Saturday, and a calf later succumbed to its injuries.On Aravalli protection, the minister said mining is allowed only in 0.19 per cent of the 1.44 lakh sq km area, with the rest fully preserved.The Centre will implement the Supreme Court’s guidelines immediately, he added.The top court on November 20, 2025, accepted the recommendations of a committee under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change on the definition of Aravalli Hills and Ranges.According to the new definition, "Aravalli Hill is any landform in designated Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more above its local relief" and an "Aravalli Range is a collection of two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other".Yadav also highlighted preventive measures for human-elephant conflict, noting that 1,100 elephant accident zones have been identified nationwide."District magistrates have been asked to keep forest departments updated on elephant movement along highways," he said.A special team including local stakeholders, forest officials, and railway personnel has been formed in Assam and other elephant habitats."A team was formed with the DRM Railways, DFO and local people as stakeholders in the area concerned in Assam and in every such locality where elephant habitat and train lines exist," Yadav said.On wildlife conservation, Yadav said ₹112 crore and ₹344 crore have been allocated to Sundarbans for tiger and elephant projects respectively over the past five years, though much remained unutilised.He stressed science-based management, landscape-level planning, inter-state coordination, community participation, and international collaboration in tiger conservation.While the Sunderbans attracts 9.5 lakh tourists annually, the Ranthambore tiger reserve witnesses ₹18-19 lakh."Such a beautiful zone of 2,500 sq km area with rich biodiversity, over 250 bird species, apart from big cats, deer and crocodile, hasn't been projected properly. There must be a balance between ecological concerns and development. This should be looked into by the state," he said.The 28th Meeting of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the 22nd Steering Committee Meeting of Project Elephant were held at the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve in Gosaba under the chairmanship of Yadav.Yadav emphasized India's globally recognised tiger conservation model and underscored the importance of science-based management, landscape-level planning, community participation, inter-state coordination and international collaboration.Measures to address human-tiger conflict, including a three-pronged strategy and the launch of the project 'Management of Tigers Outside Tiger Reserves (TOTR)', were highlighted.The meeting ratified the decisions of the technical committee meetings of the NTCA, covering approval of tiger conservation plans, extension and expansion of Project Cheetah, tiger translocation, augmenting prey base, landscape management planning, carnivore health management training programmes; and inputs provided by the NTCA on project proposals to the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).Updates were presented on expansion of Project Cheetah to Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary and the Banni Grassland in Gujarat.Preparatory activities for the proposed Global Big Cat Summit were also reviewed.The minister reviewed major ongoing activities of the NTCA, including progress under the sixth cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation and international cooperation under Project Cheetah, including visits by delegations from South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana.