GUWAHATI: Amid rising human-elephant conflict in Assam, the state government has decided to increase the number of Gajamitra teams from the existing 81 to at least 150, Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah announced on Wednesday, November 4.
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The additional teams are expected to be constituted within the next two to three days, the minister said.
“Assam is stepping up its efforts to protect both people and wildlife, with the state government deciding to increase the number of Gajamitra teams from the existing 81 to at least 150,” Baruah wrote on X.
The announcement came following a review meeting with senior forest officials on Tuesday, November 3, where measures to tackle human-animal conflict and forest encroachment were discussed.
The meeting also focused on identifying fresh forest encroachment and illegal tree felling through satellite-based monitoring systems.
“The department is examining satellite-based systems to identify fresh forest encroachment and illegal tree felling, generate alerts and enable timely action,” the minister wrote.
Baruah reiterated that anti-encroachment operations would continue, citing recent eviction drives in Nagaon, Hojai and Dhubri districts.
Previously, the forest minister had informed the Assam Assembly that 1,147 people had died in human-animal conflict in the state between 2016 and 2026.
