Haridwar, Nov. 3 -- Major farmer union Uttarakhand Kisan Morcha in Haridwar on Monday held a Kisan Panchayat,where representatives flagged crop damage and property losses arising out of human-elephant conflict in recent weeks. "Wild elephants regularly damage sugarcane and other major crops. They often intrude in and around residential habitats, farms and highways," said Uttarakhand Kisan Morcha chief Gulshan Rod. "We demand that the forest department install adequate safety measures to secure human life and agricultural, livestock and agricultural fields from wild elephants," he added. BHEL union leaders also expressed concern over elephant intrusions in BHEL township, the newest case of which was reported on Sunday, when a wild elephant was spotted at an intersection on BHEL-Roshanabad-SIIDCUL road at Sector-4. "BHEL residential area is almost a mini township in itself where thousands of people live. The movement of elephants on main intersections, road sand near residential complexes scares residents,"said union leader Rajbeer Singh. Forest officials said that they are monitoring the movement of elephants in the area. "As soon as we are tipped off about the movement of elephants or any other wild animal, a team is sent to the area and elephants are shooed back to the forest carefully.As BHEL township is situated nexr to the Rajaji Tiger Reserve,elephants often bypass the safety wall near residential settlements," said ranger Sheeshpal Singh...