TIRUNELVELI: Forest Minister R S Raja Kannappan stated that the forest department is initiating steps to capture wild boars to protect farmlands from frequent animal attacks in the Kalakkad forest range on Friday.
Speaking to the media after inspecting the ongoing development works in the Kalakkad, Thirukurungudi, and Upper Kodaiyar forest regions, he stated that weapons will be provided to forest officials and training will be offered for shooting operations.
He also assured that wild boars would be captured without causing any harm to farmers, and preventive measures are also being taken to stop elephants from straying into residential areas.
He added, “Efforts are being made to increase Tamil Nadu’s forest cover from the current 21.76% to 33% in the near future. The state government is planning to establish a forest college in the southern region, like the one in Coimbatore. The state already houses Asia’s largest biodiversity park covering over 1,500 acres at Vandalur in Chennai and another one in Vellore. However, for the benefit of southern districts, a 240-acre biodiversity park is also planned in Tiruchy.”
He further said that the government is taking steps to regularise anti-poaching watchers who have completed 10 years of service in the forest department. Vacancies in other posts will be filled through the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission. To prevent damage to crops and property by wild animals, electric fencing has been installed in most affected regions. At present, elephants have camped near Veppanapalli in Krishnagiri district. Forest personnel are engaged in driving them back into the forest.
Earlier, Kannappan also held a discussion with the deputy director of Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Rameswaran, Kalakkad municipal chairperson Shanthi Subash, and forest range officers Prabhakaran and Yogakeswaran.