CHANDIGARH: Many would remember the famous 70s movie based on man-animal friendship, 'Haathi Mere Saathi'. Now, real life is all set to imitate reel with the first-of-its kind rehabilitation centre for ageing and sick elephants coming up in Yamunanagar in Haryana. The centre will be operational by end of this year. The centre, spread over 450 acres, is situated alongside Kalesar wildlife sanctuary. Apart from being a home to the 'disabled' jumbos, the centre would also offer medical-cum-resting facilities to them.

New Delhi: The Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has sprung to the aid of villagers caught in a battle between hotel industry and wildlife groups, who are fighting for securing the Sigur elephant corridor that cradles between several wildlife sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu. In an affidavit filed before the SC, MoEF has opposed the Madras high court order asking everyone to hand over their land in the corridor in disregard to provisions of the Land Acquisition Act.

With escalating man-elephant conflicts and more than 20 elephant deaths from in and around Simlipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha, nearly 100 villages have been involved in a campaign “Haathi Mere Saathi” aimed at befriending the national heritage animal with common man. Basically, an initiative of the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), the campaign has been taken up in the tiger reserve along with the forest divisions of Karanjia, Baripada and Rairanpur which are amongst the worst-hit in man-elephant conflicts.