TIRUPATI: Days after three elephants died in a road accident on the Chittoor-Palamaner national highway on June 14, the Forest Department, along with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), have decided to initiate a slew of remedial measures to curb the deaths of jumbos in the Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary in Chittoor district.
“The NHAI has agreed to construct a 3.6-kilometre elevated expressway in the elephant corridor in Palamaner and Bangarupalem region to prevent elephant deaths in the Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary that lies on the AP-Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border in Chittoor district,” Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of AP Forest Force) and chief wildlife warden Y Madhusudhana Reddy announced on Monday.
Madhusudhana Reddy said, “The elevated expressway will be constructed across the proposed Bengaluru-Chennai greenfield field, which runs parallel to the Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary and also on the Bengaluru-Chittoor national highway road where the NHAI is mulling over widening the road to ensure the safe passage of elephants.
“The forest department is planning to procure old iron rails and erect them as fencing in villages abutting the Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary to prevent elephants from straying into these hamlets,” the PCCF explained.
Focus on safety of pedestrian pilgrims
“Besides, the bachelor herds, approximately 200 elephants have made Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary in AP their home,” the forest chief pointed out.
Referring to the recent leopard attack on a three-year-old on the Alipiri-Tirumala trekking path, Madhusudhana Reddy said forest authorities have set up nearly 100 cameras adjoining the trekking path.
Further, he explained that vigilance has been intensified to track the movement of the mother leopard that is suspected to be on the prowl on the trekking path. Efforts are on to trap it, safely relocate and release it in the forest, the PCCF added.
The forest conservator advised devotees to refrain from littering the trekking path with edible items as it may attract stray animals thus inviting leopards, which prey on these strays. He added the forest department and the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) will discuss measures that can be taken for quick disposal of waste from the trekking path to ensure devotees’ safety.