Supreme Court: Protect Elephant Corridors, No Obstructions Despite Crop Damage

Why in news

The Supreme Court directed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to survey elephant corridor obstructions, prioritizing wildlife movement over crop damage.

Background

The Supreme Court ruled that states cannot obstruct elephant corridors even in cases of crop damage. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) must conduct a fresh survey and submit a status report on obstructions across India.

Facts for Prelims

• BodyMoEFCC: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is the nodal body for wildlife protection.
• EnvironmentElephant corridors: Designated pathways used by elephants to move between fragmented habitats.
• FactThe court explicitly prohibited the use of firearms or coercive actions against elephants.

For Mains

Q. Discuss the challenges in balancing human-wildlife conflict with the conservation of migratory corridors in India's fragmented ecosystems.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

• Human-wildlife conflict management
• Habitat fragmentation issues
• Legal framework for wildlife protection
• Way forward: Community-led conservation

Keywords: Human-wildlife conflict · Habitat fragmentation · Biodiversity conservation · Ecological corridors · Sustainable coexistence

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