COIMBATORE: In a bid to prevent wild animals from accidentally falling into tunnels in the 49-km-long contour canal under the Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP), officials of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) will soon carry out joint inspections with the Public Works Department (PWD WRD).
The move follows concerns raised by the forest department over recurring deaths of animals such as elephant calves, Nilgiri tahr, sambar deer and even leopards that fall into tunnels and canals. Forest officials have requested the PWD to jointly inspect vulnerable spots and implement structural modifications to prevent such incidents.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has completed a study of the contour canal stretch from Sarkarpathy to Thirumurthy Dam, passing through Pollachi and Tiruppur forest divisions within ATR. Based on the findings, WWF has submitted several recommendations to the state forest department, including installation and modification of escape ramps.
A senior ATR official told TNIE that the department will propose the installation of protective nets at tunnel entry points. "Fixing nets at the mouth of tunnels could help save wild animals and even humans, if they accidentally fall in," the official said.
Further, most of the current ramps are oriented in the direction of water flow, which is counterproductive for animal escape. They need to be reoriented against the flow so that animals can climb out," the official explained.
He added that seven tunnel entry points have been identified as high-priority spots for ramp construction and modification. At these sites, additional safety measures such as railings or guiding poles have been proposed. Further, 17 new ramps are recommended to be constructed at regular intervals along the canal, he further said.
Landscape Coordinator of WWF D Boominathan said animals using the Parthiyur canal stretch, which has steep embankments of over 40 feet, face a high risk of falling in. "A chain-link fence should be erected along such vulnerable stretches. We have also observed dense vegetation along canal banks, which obstructs visibility and increases the risk of accidental falls. Periodic clearing of vegetation will improve visibility," he said.
The team has also recommended training programmes for all personnel for better coordinated rescue efforts. "Essential rescue equipment such as ropes, nets, pulleys, and floating devices specially designed for animal rescue from water channels should be provided to anti-poaching watchers (APWs)," Boominathan added.