Haathi Mere Saathi Campaign -

Launched in 2010 (with major renewed phases in 2017 and 2020), the campaign’s name translates to “Elephant My Friend.” Its primary goal is to secure and restore elephant corridors —vital pathways that allow herds to migrate between fragmented forest patches. Unlike many awareness-only campaigns, Haathi Mere Saathi focuses on tangible, on-ground action: land acquisition, voluntary relocation of villages blocking corridors, and community engagement. Strengths (Positive Review) 1. Action-Oriented, Not Just Awareness Most wildlife campaigns stop at slogans. Haathi Mere Saathi has a clear metric: kilometers of elephant corridor restored . By partnering with state forest departments (notably in West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Kerala), the campaign has helped secure critical passages like the Tirunelli-Kudrakote corridor in the Western Ghats.

The campaign’s policy of offering financial packages to families living inside corridors is humane but slow. Many families refuse, and the campaign lacks legal teeth (e.g., eminent domain powers) to expedite removals. Some conservationists argue this prioritizes political correctness over elephant survival. haathi mere saathi campaign

The Bollywood film, while well-intentioned, was criticized for anthropomorphizing elephants and villainizing all local farmers (portrayed as greedy). This risks alienating the very communities the campaign needs as allies. Real HEC is nuanced—poverty, crop dependence, and poor land-use planning are systemic issues, not just “bad people.” Launched in 2010 (with major renewed phases in