Guwahati, Dec 5 (IANS): The Assam government is launching anti-depredation squads across 15 major man-elephant conflict districts in order to mitigate the problem and to ensure safety.

The squads will be formally launched on Thursday evening, the state's Environment and Forest Minister Parimal Shuklabaidya said here.

Shuklabaidya added that the Forest Department was engaging specially trained personnel including 50 frontline staff trained to handle conflict situations. He further said that 100 additional staffers will be trained in the coming days.

The anti-depredation squad will be well equipped with all required logistics for mitigating the conflict, he said.

Shuklabaidya said that as of now 150 nos of 12 Bore pump action guns and 15,000 rounds of rubber bullet ammunition will be at the disposal of the squads.

The man-elephant conflict was taking an ugly turn in Assam.

While 62 elephants have died in the state since January this year, a total of 63 people have been killed across Assam during this period due to conflict with the tuskers.