PM Modi Lauds Assam's 'Hathibandhu' Initiative For Mitigating Human-Elephant Conflict

GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Assam's "Hathibandhu" initiative for addressing the human-elephant conflict during his monthly "Mann Ki Baat" address on Sunday.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recognizing the "Hathibandhu" initiative in his "Mann Ki Baat" address. In a post on his official X handle, Sarma said, "A while back Adarniya Shri @narendramodi ji spoke about the Hathibandhu initiative of Assam in his #MannKiBaat address," describing the program as a natural way to reduce human-elephant conflicts.

The chief minister explained that 30 hectares of private land in Nagaon and Karbi Anglong have been planted with napier grass to give elephants a steady food source. This has reduced crop damage a lot. He said, “About 8,000 people have benefited from this, helping both people and elephants.”

In the same address, the prime minister also commended the Election Commission of India (ECI) for its use of technology to strengthen democracy and ensure fair electoral processes. His remarks came ahead of National Voters' Day, celebrated annually on January 25 to mark the foundation day of the ECI.

The prime minister’s comments come amidst opposition criticism questioning the integrity of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

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