Bokaro: With man-elephant conflicts witnessing a sharp rise in Jharkhand in recent years, the state forest department is mulling a specialised transit and treatment centre in Bokaro to rescue, treat and rehabilitate distressed elephants before returning them safely to forest habitats.Work has begun on preparing a detailed project report (DPR) and seeking an expert agency for planning, design, cost estimation and monitoring. The facility is part of a state-level strategy under which similar centres are being planned in Ranchi, Hazaribag and Ramgarh to improve emergency response across key conflict zones.“Bokaro, Ramgarh, Hazaribag and adjoining areas sit on the traditional elephant corridors. However, expanding open-cast coal mining, railway infrastructure and road construction have increased pressure on forests and elephant corridors,” said Sundeep Shinde, forest officer of Bokaro Division.Shinde said shrinking connectivity between forest patches has disrupted the corridors, forcing herds into villages and farms and upping the risk of conflict.The proposed centre will temporarily house injured, sick, orphaned, distressed or aggressive elephants. It will provide rescue support, veterinary care and, where necessary, rehabilitation. The facility will also enable safe transportation of elephants to the centre, treatment under trained personnel and release back into the wild.Basic infrastructure will be created for veterinarians, para-veterinary staff and other personnel. The centre will include elephant holding areas, food storage units, vehicle parking and other essential facilities. A soft-release system will also be developed to help treated elephants return gradually and safely to forest areas.The facility could later be developed as an elephant camp, and the department is considering seeking a Central Zoo Authority licence in the future.A specialised rescue truck is planned for safe rescue and transport. It will have ventilation slots, leg-securing provisions and a hydraulic lifting system capable of handling six to eight tonnes. A dedicated veterinary van on an SUV chassis is also proposed to provide medical aid during rescue operations in the field across conflict zones.
