Bhubaneswar: Odisha Forest Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia on Friday inaugurated the state's first elephant training centre at Simelpadar in Kalahandi during his visit to the district as part of the BJP government's celebrations for completing two years in the state.

The training centre has been established in the Karlapat region, which serves as an important elephant corridor. According to the minister, the facility has been set up to help manage and control elephant movement in the area and address the growing challenges posed by wild elephants.

Incidents of conflicts among the elephants have led to the deaths of several elephants in the past. The menace of tuskers has also been increasing in the region.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said the centre would play a crucial role in managing elephant behaviour and reducing human-elephant as well as elephant-elephant conflicts.

The minister also inaugurated a wildlife monitoring tower aimed at strengthening surveillance and ensuring better protection of wild animals in the area.