Siliguri, Nov. 1 -- In an important move towards wildlife conservation in North Bengal, four permanent elephant corridors will be developed within the strategically-important Bangdubi Army Cantonment near Bagdogra. The initiative, jointly undertaken by the Kurseong Forest Division and the Indian Army, aims to ensure safe and uninterrupted movement of wild elephants without compromising military security.

The four corridors, spread across approximately 230 acres of army-controlled land, will be developed in an eco-friendly manner. No heavy military vehicles or barbed-wire fencing will be allowed along the designated routes. The Army has also decided to relocate its 35-acre Engineer Park inside the cantonment.

The decision follows a joint survey by forest officials and Army personnel, which identified 26 highly vulnerable and five partially-vulnerable locations within the military premises where elephant movement have been recorded. Artificial barriers obstructing these routes will be removed. According to forest officials, the obstruction of traditional elephant routes over the years has contributed to increasing human-elephant conflict in the region. Elephants traditionally move from the Sukna and Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary forests through Bamunpokhri, cross the Balason River and head towards the Bagdogra forests. However, the presence of the Army's 16 Field Ammunition Depot (16 FAD), along with barbed-wire fencing, boundary walls, military infrastructure and residential facilities, has disrupted this movement.

Bagdogra Range Officer Sambart Sadhu and Bagdogra Elephant Squad Range Officer Manaskanti Ghosh led the joint inspection with Army officials. GPS-based surveys, satellite mapping and drone footage were used to prepare a detailed digital report, which has been submitted to the DFO's office in Kurseong for approval. It will be forwarded to the state, Aranya Bhavan, the Defence Ministry and the Union Ministry of Environment and forests.

Devesh Pandey, the Divisional Forest Office of Kurseong Forest Division said: "The corridors would be developed with elephant-friendly vegetation and small water bodies to ensure the availability of food and water during movement."

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.