In his monthly “Mann Ki Baat” address on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Assam’s “Hathibandhu” initiative for its role in addressing the ongoing human-elephant conflict in the state. This program, designed to reduce the tensions between local communities and elephants, has gained significant attention for its innovative approach.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for recognizing the initiative in his address. Sarma took to his official X handle to thank Modi, stating, “A while back Adarniya Shri @narendramodi ji spoke about the Hathibandhu initiative of Assam in his #MannKiBaat address,” adding that the initiative offers a natural solution to the challenge of human-elephant conflicts.
The initiative has focused on planting napier grass across 30 hectares of private land in Nagaon and Karbi Anglong districts, providing elephants with a reliable food source. This measure has helped significantly reduce crop damage, benefitting around 8,000 local people and ensuring a peaceful coexistence between humans and elephants.
In the same address, Prime Minister Modi also acknowledged the Election Commission of India (ECI) for its effective use of technology to enhance democracy and ensure fair electoral practices. His comments came just ahead of National Voters’ Day, which will be observed on January 25, marking the foundation day of the ECI.
The Prime Minister’s remarks about the ECI were made in the context of ongoing debates surrounding the integrity of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), with opposition parties questioning their reliability.
