TIRUPATI: A virtual coordination meeting of Elephant Task Force (ETF) was held to address rising human-elephant conflicts in Tirupati district. The meeting, chaired by District Collector Dr S Venkateswar, included forest, revenue, electricity, and planning officials, along with Chandragiri MLA Pulivarthi Venkat Mani Prasad (Nani).
District Forest Officer Vivek said a dedicated Elephant Task Force and a monitoring cell have been established as per Deputy Chief Minister Konidala Pawan Kalyan’s directions. The ETF will alert panchayat secretaries in high-risk areas about elephant movements through instant alerts.
Three control rooms will be set up at the Collectorate, SP Office, and DFO Office. The DFO will act as chairman of the ETF. Thirty villages in Chinagottigallu mandal have been severely impacted, including Kothapalli, where a fatal incident occurred on April 25. Public hostility toward elephants, including stone-throwing, has been reported, prompting a call for awareness programmes near water sources.