The Dhanbad forest department has launched a set of safety measures in the Tundi elephant zone, including the distribution of 150 torches and 100 traditional fire torches to trained village volunteers following repeated elephant incursions and the recent death of a villager.
The equipment will be handed over to members of Hathi Mitra teams in Tundi this week in the presence of the local MLA, district forest officer Vikas Paliwal said. The volunteers are expected to monitor elephant movement at night, alert residents and help reduce direct encounters between people and wild elephants.
Five to 10 volunteers have been selected from each affected village for the Hathi Mitra teams. According to the forest department, the torches will help volunteers detect elephant movement, while the mashals, or traditional fire torches, will be used as part of efforts to warn residents when herds approach settlements.
The measures follow repeated incidents of elephant herds entering villages in Tundi block, damaging property and causing panic among residents. A villager was recently trampled to death by an elephant, highlighting the risks faced by communities living close to forest areas and elephant movement routes.
Paliwal said the department’s priority was to protect people living in elephant-affected areas while also ensuring the safety of wild elephants. The department is also conducting awareness programmes to inform villagers about precautions to take during elephant movement.
One of the specific advisories concerns the storage of foodgrains. Paliwal advised residents not to sleep in places where foodgrains are stored because elephants often enter villages in search of food. Officials said such storage points can attract elephants, increasing the risk of damage to houses and dangerous encounters with residents.
The initiative places trained residents at the centre of the immediate warning system. Their role is to pass on information about elephant presence and help communities avoid confrontations, while the forest department continues its awareness activities in affected villages.
The distribution of equipment and the formation of village teams represent the department’s stated next steps for improving night-time alerts in Tundi. The torches and mashals are scheduled to be handed over to the Hathi Mitras this week.
