Madras HC judges inspect proposed fencing in Coimbatore forest division | Coimbatore News

COIMBATORE: Madras high court judges Justice N Sathish Kumar and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy inspected the proposed steel wire rope fencing in the Coimbatore forest division on Friday. The fencing is meant for reducing human-elephant conflict.The judges arrived in Coimbatore on Thursday evening and stayed overnight at the forest college guest house. On Friday afternoon, they visited forest areas in Mettupalayam, Kallar, and neighbouring regions to inspect locations with high elephant activity. They later visited the proposed sites for the steel wire rope fencing in the Boluvampatti forest range.Forest department officials explained the project and its success in other states. Farmers briefed the team on the damage caused to crops by elephant incursions and emphasized the necessity of protective fencing.In its petition to the judges, the Thadagam Valley Protection Committee stated that human deaths caused by elephants had decreased in the Thadagam region. However, elephant deaths due to various reasons have not decreased in the surrounding areas. Many large-sized brick earth quarries have been excavated illegally, with 80% located along stream banks and foothills used by elephants migrating between Brahmagiri (Karnataka) and Silent Valley (Kerala). Elephants attempting to cross these areas fall into pits and die. Encroachments by politically powerful real estate businessmen are increasing. Closing illegal commercial buildings along the elephant migration paths will help reduce elephant deaths in this region, the committee said.The Coimbatore District Irula Community Welfare Association submitted a petition demanding action against resorts being built around tribal villages in Anaikatti. Although tribal villages and farmland are located in the elephant corridor, human-animal conflicts were not as high as they are now. Elephants are entering villages due to many commercial buildings being constructed on the elephant corridor. These resorts should be sealed to curb human-elephant conflicts, the association said.Villagers and farmers suggested to the judges that fences be constructed using used railway track iron to restrict elephants from entering farmland and residential areas.District collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar, district superintendent of police K Karthikeyan and forest department officials were present during the inspection.