Birtamod. Jhapa: The elephant crossing under construction on birtamod-Charali section of Jhapa along the Asian Highway has been completed by 45 per cent.

Project engineer Aashray Mahat said that the construction of the only elephant crossing in Koshi province under the highway project is progressing at a rapid pace. According to him, the construction of this crossing project has been started keeping in mind the safety of wildlife.

So far, 60 percent of the single-lane work and 35 percent of the double-lane work has been completed.

Sunil Babu Panta, chief engineer of the project, said that the diversion has been rebuilt using a large hampipe after the flood in May last year washed away the diversion structure. According to him, the construction has been resumed after the diversion repair.

“The construction cost of the 15-metre-long and 6.5-metre-high crossing structure is Rs 33.95 million. Works worth Rs 15.2 million have been completed so far,” he said.

The area is at high risk of wildlife-human conflict due to the movement of community forests around the Charali area, the Forest Conservation Unit of the Nepal Army and the movement of wild animals coming from the Indian side through the open border.

In the last few years, 30 people have lost their lives due to attacks by elephants, leopards and tigers. According to him, elephant attacks have caused huge loss of life and property in the settlements of Jhapa and Morang.

Rishi Timsina, officer at the Division Forest Office in the district, said monkeys and elephants have been a problem in Mechinagar, Arjundhara, Bhadrapur, Birtamod and other areas.

According to locals and forest activists, such a structure will help ensure safe passage for wildlife. Badri Pyakurel, a forest activist from Birtamod-7, said the fencing wires installed in the past to protect elephants were not completely effective. He stressed the need for a more effective mechanism to solve the current problems even though the wire installed at the initiative of Speaker Devraj Ghimire has worked to some extent.

Badri Mahat, a local living in Charali area, said the elephant crossing would be very useful for the smooth movement of wildlife as there is a community forest on both sides of the highway. “We believe that this structure will not only protect wildlife but also contribute to the reduction of human losses,” he said. ’

Arjun Karki, leader of Bahundangi, who is known as an elephant activist, stressed the need to keep in mind the possibility of creating employment and income in the community through the conservation and management of wildlife. He stressed the need for proper management of elephants entering Nepal through the open border.

It is believed that the elephant crossing under construction under the Asian Highway will have a positive impact on wildlife management and reducing human-wildlife conflict in eastern Jhapa region in the long run.