KRISHNAGIRI: Hosur forest division has installed a warning light in a village near Jawalagiri to warn locals about animal movement and prevent human-animal conflict. When elephant movement is found in the village at night time, the light will be turned on to alert the villagers.
Hosur wildlife warden K Karthikeyani told TNIE, “ There are seven forest ranges in Hosur forest division. There is regular elephant movement in the district for a few months from Karnataka. To prevent human-animal conflicts, SMS is being sent to the people to warn them. Apart from this, forest department staff, farmers associations, and village representatives alert people about elephant movement and elephants are driven back into the forest.”
She added, “CCTV cameras with Artificial Intelligence are fixed in the forest boundaries. Once elephant movement is spotted, people living in nearby villages will be alerted by the beacon light. Warning beacon lights will be fixed at 16 places in the Hosur forest division. Among these, one light has been fixed at Buruvanapalli village in the Jawalagiri forest range.
The remaining lights at other places will be fixed soon. Lights will be fixed at high places in the villages, it can be operated by forest rangers and department staff through mobile apps. Once people see the light illuminated, they will be aware about elephant movement and be cautious.”
“Usually, people go out in the wee hours to attend nature’s call or for farm work. At the time when they see the warning light, they will stay alert. Also, wire rope fencing and elephant proof trenches are set up near forest boundaries to prevent human-animal conflict,”
Karthikeyani said. Jawalagiri forest ranger K Arivazhagan told TNIE that five more warning lights will be installed in the range.
For the past few days, villages near forest boundaries were explained about this initiative and elephant movement. People can contact help line 18004255135 to inform about elephant movement.