Bamboo and wildlife:Green push in state

Raipur: From the forests of Bastar to the bamboo clusters of Mungeli, Chhattisgarh's forest economy is being reimagined — one that blends livelihood, conservation, and technology. In Collectors–DFO conference chaired by CM Sai, the govt has set new priorities for forest-based livelihoods, faster payment systems for tendu leaf collectors, bamboo-based enterprises, herbal value chains, and wildlife protection. A discussion on increasing cases of human-elephant conflict in state was done and officials briefed on the success of the ‘Gaj Sanket elephant tracking app', which enables real-time monitoring of elephant movement even in low-network zones. The app is currently active in 14 forest divisions and will soon be expanded to all across the state. Given its success in mitigating human-elephant conflict, six other states have adopted the model. tnn