India has largest population of Asian elephants: Minister

Team Blitz India

NEW DELHI: Union Minister of Environment, Bhupender Yadav said with the largest population of wild Asian elephants, India is the mainstay for long-term conservation of the species. He insisted that active participation with local communities is the key in steering elephant conservation to new heights. He was speaking on the occasion of World Elephant Day.

Bhupender Yadav emphasised on mainstreaming biodiversity conservation in India’s economic development to ensure ecological wellbeing and sustainability.

The Minister also highlighted the concerted efforts of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change( MoEFCC), Ministry of Railways, to address the critical issue of Railway-related elephant collisions. As part of these efforts, about 110 critical stretches across the Railway network in the country that pass through elephant habitats have been identified.