BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 22nd May 2025: In a significant step towards wildlife conservation and ecological balance, Tripura Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma on Thursday announced the development of a dedicated elephant corridor along National Highway 08 near Teliamura in Khowai district. The project, set to be completed by next winter, is designed to mitigate rising instances of human-elephant conflict and ensure safer migration routes for wild elephants.
The planned corridor lies on the crucial Assam-Agartala highway and will cater to the movement of nearly 40 wild elephants residing in the forests of Khowai, Dhalai, and Gomati districts. To reduce confrontations between humans and elephants, the forest department is employing a combined strategy that includes age-old conservation wisdom, modern monitoring systems, and proactive community engagement. “The construction is underway and we’ve received full cooperation from the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL). We aim to complete the work before next winter,” said Minister Debbarma, emphasizing the corridor’s role in restoring natural elephant trails disrupted by infrastructure.
The minister also outlined an ambitious vision to enhance Sepahijala Zoo into a globally recognized wildlife facility. The recent birth of tiger cubs at the zoo has been hailed as a sign of ecological well-being and a testament to improved habitat management. “The successful tiger breeding shows we’re on the right path. We will continue to invest in better infrastructure and animal care to bring Sepahijala Zoo up to international standards,” he said.
Underscoring the importance of preserving biodiversity, Debbarma made a fervent appeal to protect forest ecosystems. “Trees are the lungs of our planet. Destroying our biological and ecological diversity is a threat to human survival itself,” he noted, urging massive tree plantation campaigns and stricter vigilance against deforestation and encroachment.
He further warned that human-wildlife conflict is a symptom of deeper ecological imbalance. “When humans intrude into forest areas or extract resources meant for wildlife, conflict becomes inevitable. We must act now to restore equilibrium between development and nature,” Debbarma concluded.
