Bhubaneswar, Feb 24: The Odisha Assembly on Tuesday witnessed detailed discussions on human-animal conflicts, elephant deaths, and the government’s stance on panchayat restructuring ahead of the 2027 elections.

Responding to a question from legislator Prasanna Acharya, Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia revealed that in the past five years, 809 people have died and 2,060 have been injured due to human-animal conflicts across the state. “The clashes also led to the death of 1,619 domesticated animals, destruction of 10,382 houses, and damage to nearly 93,993 acres of crops,” the Minister informed the house.

The Forest and Environment Minister further informed that in the last two and a half years, 114 elephants have died in Odisha. “Of these, 42 deaths were caused by electrocution, 29 due to diseases, six from poaching, three from retaliatory attacks by villagers, and four in train accidents,” he revealed.

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“Natural causes accounted for 17 deaths, while 13 elephants died after falling from hills, drowning in rivers, or fighting among themselves,” he stated further. “To curb unnatural deaths, 93 individuals have been arrested and prosecuted,” asserted the Minister.

Meanwhile, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik clarified the government’s position on panchayat restructuring. “No reorganization of gram panchayats or blocks will be undertaken before the 2027 panchayat elections,” clarified the Minister.

The decision, as he said, was attributed to constitutional constraints and the absence of updated population data. “The government has resolved not to alter boundaries or create new administrative units until after the elections,” emphasized Singh Khuntia.