THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The role of the state forest department in the hue and cry to capture rogue elephant Arikomban is highly suspect, as new evidence suggests that it has so far remained silent over the approval for an electric fence in the conflict area.
It is worth noting that the forest department went ahead with the plan to capture Arikomban despite receiving a letter from the Union government sanctioning the state government’s request for financial aid to erect power fences and other facilities in the human-elephant conflict areas of Anayirangal, Chinnakkanal, and Munnar Forest Division.
The Project Elephant under the ministry of environment, forests and climate change has sanctioned `1.93 crores to erect solar-powered electric fences, with the first instalment of Rs 29.032 lakh already released to the Kerala state government.
As a centrally sponsored scheme, the Union government will provide 60% of the funding, while the state government will have to bear the remaining 40%. The Project Elephant approved the forest department’s proposal without any objection.
According to the project report, a copy of which is with this paper, the plan involves erecting power fences around selected settlements in a scientific way to reduce the conflict situation.
Six settlement areas were chosen, including Singukandam and Chembakathazhukudi, 80 Acre colony, Panthadikkalam, Thidir Nagar, B L Ram to Thidar Nagar, and Kozhippennakudi, based on the acute threat to human life posed by the elephants, the position of the area in the elephant prime habitats, and land use.
The project also envisions appointing elephant watchers for monitoring and driving away elephants from the settlement areas.
Two checkpoints will be constructed for monitoring elephant movement in Sinkukandam, and an application will be developed for sharing and storing information related to elephant monitoring.