CHITWAN: Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Sobita Gautam, has expressed her commitment to help adopt both immediate and long-term measures to reduce human-wildlife conflict.

She made the commitment while expressing her grief over the incident of a wild elephant attack on Saturday in Belhatta of Bharatpur Metropolitan City-23. “The government is serious about finding a permanent solution to the long-standing human-wildlife conflict in the areas surrounding the national park,” she said, “Technology will be used to control the aggressive behavior of wild animals.”

Minister Gautam said there are physical structures that cannot withstand elephant attacks and hence the government will take necessary initiatives in coordination with the Chief District Officer through the Disaster Management Fund to build strong and safe houses around the park area.

She also said that relief would be provided to the affected families. “Money cannot bring back a person’s life, but relief of Rs 1 million per person will be provided as per the rules to help the family.”

Minister Gautam also pointed out the need to find a long-term solution through coordination between the local level, people’s representatives and the federal government.

Two members of a family died in a wild elephant attack in Bharatpur Metropolitan City-23, Belhatta. Ashika Bote, 25, and her four-year-old son Bharat died on the spot when they were attacked by an elephant while they were asleep at their home on Saturday night.