Andhra Pradesh’s Kumki Operations Facing Opposition From Neighbouring Odisha

 VISAKHAPATNAM: Attempts of AP Forest officers to use Kumki elephants to drive back wild elephants into the forests along the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border in Parvathipuram Manyam district are not yielding the desired results.

This is because villagers across the border are driving back the elephants into Andhra Pradesh.

It may be recalled that Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan’s efforts have led to commissioning of Kumki elephants to push back wild elephants into the forests, so that they do not destroy crops and plantations in areas abutting the forests.

There are suggestions that Pawan Kalyan hold discussions with Orissa's Forest minister over confining the wild elephants to forest areas by driving them back from the habitations surrounding the forests.

Otherwise, farmers fear that there could be a repeat of 2017’s tragic events, when 13 people lost their lives when elephant herds from Odisha raided farmlands in AP.

AP farmers underlined that without cooperation from Odisha, relocating wild elephant herds back into forests would not succeed.

CPM leader Kolli Sambamurthy has criticised the repeated failures of AP Forest officials in relocating the wild elephants back into the forests due to resistance from neighbouring Odisha.

Sambamurthy urged the NDA government, especially Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan, to act decisively. If needed, the central government could be involved in resolving the issue, as it involves Odisha and AP.

Otherwise, the wild elephants could be captured and moved to the Vizag Zoo.

When Deccan Chronicle approached district forest officials for clarification, they offered no comment.