COIMBATORE: Staff attached to the Coimbatore Forest Division have intensified monitoring of a wild elephant nicknamed 'Vettaiyan' to prevent it from damaging crops and entering human habitations.
G Ramesh, a farmer from Chinna Thadagam, received this information from officials of the Coimbatore Forest Division after he sought details about the steps taken to prevent the frequent intrusion of the wild elephant 'Vettaiyan'. He had submitted his query through the CPGRAMS (Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System), which in turn directed the District Forest Officer (DFO) of the Coimbatore Forest Division, N Vengatesh Prabhu, to provide a response to the farmer.
"Considering the welfare of farmers as well as the public, our field-level staff are monitoring the habitat and activities of wild elephants, including 'Vettaiyan', and are taking preventive measures. Moreover, members of the Border Night Patrol (BNPT) team, formed to mitigate human-animal conflict, are also monitoring the movement of wild animals coming out of forest areas," the DFO said.
"After receiving information about the movement of wild elephants, field-level staff, along with members of the BNPT, divert the wild elephants to safer locations without affecting farmers and the public. Wherever wild elephant movement is high, we have intensified our monitoring and are taking steps to prevent negative human-elephant interactions," the official said.