DHARMAPURI: As part of its efforts to reduce human-wildlife conflict, the Dharmapuri Forest Department has taken measures including digging Elephant Proof Trenches (EPT), salt licks, and watering holes in Palacode, Pennagaram and Hogenakkal forest ranges at a cost of Rs 2 crore.
Dharmapuri Forest zone is one of the largest areas in the state encompassing an area of 1,64,901 hectares. It has over 138 reserve forests and 16 protected areas. Elephant movement in the area is also high and during night hours they enter farmlands leading to crop damage, injury to people, or even death.
Speaking about the common causes of human-wildlife conflict, forest officials said that the crops cultivated by farmers attract elephants as they are rich in nutrients. Also, cattle penning and encroachments in the forest area are blocking the elephant movement.
Another reason is the hanging fence in the Hosur Forest division, which diverts elephants towards Palacode, Pennagaram and Hogenakkal, causing an increase in the elephant movement in these areas, they added. To tackle these problems, in 2022-23, the Dharmapuri forest department has expended Rs 2 crore in setting up control measures.
Commenting on the efforts undertaken, District Forest officer KV Appala Naidu said, “There is an overgrowth of ‘Prosopis Juliflora’ in the forest area. This invasive species is a bane to the forest area and over 130 hectares areas were uprooted. Of this, 50 hectares have been planted with saplings of native variety trees which are beneficial to the forest and wildlife. Saplings will be planted on the remaining 80 hectares during the monsoon season.”
The forest department has also identified a 5 km area and is digging Elephant Proof Trenches to ensure that elephants do not wander into cultivation lands. Over 39 lakh have been allocated for these works. Further to ensure that elephants get sufficient nutrients in the forest, salt licks have been placed in key locations near the water troughs. New watering holes have also been constructed at the cost of Rs 26 lakh, he said.
Moreover, the forest department is also involved in growing over 5 lakh saplings to improve the density of the forest area. Apart from this teams have been dispatched to conduct elephant drives to send elephants back into the forest and spread awareness. A grand total of Rs 2 crore have been spent to reduce the Human-wild conflict, he added.
