Arunachal Pradesh assembly forms panel on rising human-wildlife clashes

The Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly on March 11 constituted a committee to examine the growing incidents of human–animal conflict in the state and suggest measures to strengthen wildlife protection.

Speaker Tesam Pongte announced that senior BJP MLA Wanglin Lowangdong will chair the committee. The panel will include Congress MLA Kumar Waii and BJP legislators Dr Mohesh Chai, Topin Ete and Tsering Lhamu as members, while the state’s principal chief conservator of forests will serve as the member secretary.

The committee has been given three months to conduct the study and submit its report to the House.

Formation of the panel followed a private member’s resolution moved by Waii on March 6, calling for urgent government action to address the increasing number of human–animal conflicts across the state.

During the discussion, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Wangki Lowang said such conflicts are largely the result of Arunachal Pradesh’s shared landscape, where rich biodiversity coexists with forest-dependent communities. He noted that development activities often disrupt wildlife corridors, pushing animals into nearby human settlements.

Lowang also said traditional shifting cultivation practised by tribal communities affects wildlife habitats, contributing to the problem. According to the minister, conflicts tend to increase when ecosystems come under stress or when the prey base for wild animals declines. He added that forest department protection measures help stabilise wildlife behaviour and habitat use, indirectly reducing such incidents.

While moving the resolution, Waii cited several recent cases that led to fatalities and highlighted the urgency of the issue.

Police head constable Chikseng Manpung was killed in a tiger attack along the Roing–Anini road near Mayudia in Lower Dibang Valley district on February 2 while returning from Anini on his motorcycle.

Another incident occurred on February 21, when assistant sub-inspector Martin Lego of Sunpura police station died in a wild elephant attack near Patthar Ghat along the Lohit riverbank in Lohit district. He had gone to the area with two friends.

Waii also referred to a July 9 incident last year in which former MLA Kapchen Rajkumar, who represented the Khonsa North constituency from 1985 to 1990, was killed by a wild elephant near Deomali in Tirap district during a morning walk.

Deputy Speaker Kardo Nyigyor, who presided over the discussion earlier, had assured the House that a committee would be set up to examine the issue.