"In 2015-2016, 108 people were killed and 95 injured by wild elephants in the state. Out of these 108, 71 have been killed in south Bengal. A total of 14 elephants have been killed in these incidents. We have reached an alarming situation in Bengal," Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Pradeep Vyas said.
He said that the forest department took a two-pronged "holistic approach" to deal with the human-elephant conflict in the state.
"Secondly, we have also formed an Elephant Movement Coordination Committee (EMCC), which was not there earlier. It is headed by two chief conservators."
"This committee monitors the movement of elephant in south West Bengal regularly and ensures that unnecessary obstructions are not caused in the smooth movement of elephants. Because if the elephants are obstructed repeatedly they might get irritated and conflict might increase," he said.
"We are making two elephant rescue and rehabilitation centres, one in north Bengal and another in south Bengal. Those elephants which are very aggressive in nature will be captured and put in these centres where they will stay in conditions similar to that in the wild," he said.