President Droupadi Murmu marks 30 years of Project Elephant at Kaziranga
The event marked 30 years of Project Elephant and President Droupadi Murmu said all stakeholders must work together in a coordinated manner to ensure more success to the project
President Droupadi Murmu on Friday took part in Gaj Utsav at Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) in Assam to mark 30 years of Project Elephant.
“To ensure more success to Project Elephant, all stakeholders must work together in a coordinated manner. It is also important to spread awareness and sensitivity about elephants among school children,” the President said in her address.
“Elephants have been integral part of our history, religion and culture. Any action that is good for elephants and other animals and birds, is good for humanity and for our planet as well,” she added.
Mentioning about the enduring and special relationship between pachyderms and hums,Murumu also talked about the Oscar Award winning documentary The Elephant Whisperers.
The event was also attended by Assam governor Gulab Chand Kataria, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union forest, environment and climate change minister Bhupendra Yadav and a host of senior ministers, MPs, MLAs and officials.
“Project Elephant was started in 1992 with the aim of increasing the population of elephants and to secure their habitat. In these 30 years, we have been able to set up 33 elephant reserves across the country,” Yadav said.
Sarma mentioned about various historical and literary references to elephants being part of Indian life and traditions.
The festival will be held on Friday and Saturday and aims to raise awareness on elephant conservation,protect their corridors and habitat, and reduce human-elephant conflict.