Why in the News?
The Supreme Court has directed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to conduct a nationwide survey to identify obstacles and blockades created in elephant corridors and submit a comprehensive report within six weeks.

Key Directions of the Supreme Court

• The Court held that States cannot construct physical barriers in elephant corridors merely to prevent crop damage or protect livelihoods.
• The Court emphasised that elephants naturally travel across long distances and multiple States, making uninterrupted corridors essential for their survival.
• The Court barred the use of fireballs and mashaals (torches) to drive elephants away and directed authorities to report on any coercive measures used against wildlife.
• The survey will examine the status of elephant corridors, existing obstructions and the measures being taken by authorities to ensure seamless wildlife movement.
• The Court also referred to existing mandatory guidelines of the requiring elephant corridors passing through different States to remain unobstructed.

Why Are Elephant Corridors Important?

Elephant corridors are natural routes traditionally used by elephants to move between feeding, breeding and resting habitats. Fragmentation of these routes due to roads, settlements, agriculture and other human activities can increase human-elephant conflict.

For example, elephants move across State boundaries from Nepal through West Bengal towards Jharkhand and other States, while elephant movement also occurs from Haryana towards Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Therefore, corridor conservation requires inter-State coordination rather than isolated State-level action.

Human-Elephant Conflict: The Policy Challenge

• Crop destruction and livelihood losses can create resentment among local communities, but violent or coercive methods can further endanger both people and elephants.
• Instead of blocking corridors, authorities should focus on early-warning systems, habitat restoration, scientific fencing where appropriate, community participation and timely compensation.
• The case highlights the need to balance wildlife conservation with livelihood security, while recognising that elephants require landscape-level mobility.

Exam Hook – Prelims

Consider the following statements:

1. Elephant corridors may extend across multiple States.
2. Project Elephant was launched in 1992.
3. The Supreme Court has permitted States to block elephant corridors to prevent crop damage.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer: 1 and 2 only.