Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday launched a mobile application-based elephant movement tracking system on the occasion of the 74th Van Mahotsav in Ranchi to reduce human-elephant conflicts in the state.
The mobile app will help villagers and department to track elephant movements so that precautionary measures could be taken in advance, an official said.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren said, "Our priority is to protect elephants as well as humans. With the participation of people, elephants could be conserved." He said that the government has increased the compensation for damage caused by elephants.
Man-elephant conflict have been a major issue for the government as it causes huge loss of human lives and properties.
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A forest department official said that two applications have been developed by the department, one for use by common citizens, and the other for department officials. The elephant movement information will also be spread out through FM channels, he said.
Meanwhile, the Forest department has decided to plant as many as 2.34 crore saplings this year to minimise soil erosion and reduce the impact of climate change, an official said. In a bid to increase the city's green cover, the department has also set a target to plant one lakh saplings only in Ranchi city, he said.
Expressing concern over climate change, the chief minister said that a discussion is going on across the world to find a solution to climate change.
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"The government is committed to protect the green cover of the state. More than two crores saplings will be planted this year, while Birsa Harit Gram Yojana is being carried out on 50,000 acres of land. Under Mukhyamantri Van-Dhan Yojana, 75 per cent subsidy is given for planting trees," the CM said.
The CM urged citizens of the state to plant at least one tree and conserve it. "Our government has made a law to provide five units of free electricity for planting and protecting a tree in an individual campus in urban areas," he said.
Soren further said that the department has issued a toll-free number where complaints regarding illegal mining and tree felling could be given.
-With PTI Input
