भारत में एशियाई जंगली हाथियों का 60% है, जानें क्यों!

Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Kirti Vardhan Singh has said that 60 percent of the world’s Asian wild elephants are found in India. An event to mark World Elephant Day was held at a private hotel hall on Avinashi Road, Coimbatore in Tamilnadu, jointly organized by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Kirti Vardhan Singh attended the event as the chief guest. Special Secretary of the Union Forest Ministry Sushil Kumar Awasthi, Tamil Nadu’s Additional Chief Secretary for Forests Supriya Sahu, and senior forest officials presided over the function and presented various details about improving elephant habitats and preventing human–elephant conflicts. At the event, books and awareness posters on elephant conservation were released. Following this, awards and appreciation certificates were presented to forest department staff from both the central and state departments who had excelled in their service. A special photo book on the Theppakadu Mudumalai Elephant Camp was also launched. Addressing the gathering, Union Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh said: “India is home to 60 percent of the world’s Asian wild elephants. Our country has 29,000 wild elephants. We have identified 150 elephant corridors across 15 states. Forest officials are working together with NGOs and local communities to protect elephants. In challenging conditions, frontline forest staff are working with dedication to protect forests, prevent poaching, and reduce human–elephant conflicts. They are the real heroes of elephant conservation. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the central government has taken various measures to ensure elephant safety. Plans are being formulated and implemented to protect not only elephants but also all wildlife and forest resources. Only through a combination of ecological foresight, modern science, and community participation can we protect elephants. By protecting elephants, we also safeguard forests, ecosystems, biodiversity, rivers, and more. Let us all unite and take part in this mission.” Afterwards, as part of the event, the Union Minister visited exhibition stalls set up by the forest department showcasing forest protection equipment and tools, as well as paintings by school students who had won the painting competition. He also specially admired the giant elephant and wild buffalo statues made from edible plants. R.Amarvannan For Zee News From Chennai