COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore forest division has urged local bodies to immediately stop dumping their waste in the open in the forest boundaries. A letter in this regard was sent following the recent death of a female wild elephant which had consumed plastic bags along with leftover food from a dumpyard in the Maruthamalai foothills.
The forest department and NGOs blame poor waste management by the local bodies for attracting wild animals to human settlements, and thus escalating human-animal conflicts.
"Open dumping is dangerous for animal health, and also, may give rise to adverse human-animal interactions," forest department sources said.
However, farmers blame the forest department for failing to prevent the intrusion of wild elephants into human habitations and agricultural lands located far away from forest boundaries.
"We have sent letters to the Block Development Officers (BDO) of Periyanacikenpalayam and Thondamuthur blocks, appealing them to take steps to stop dumping waste in the forest fringes and also clear the existing garbage for the welfare of the animals," said sources in the Coimbatore forest division.
Precautionary steps must be taken to prevent elephants from foraging food waste. Once elephants visit a dump yard, they would arrive again. The high salt content in the food leftovers pose health risks for elephants," the sources added.
"With the help of volunteers and HRCE staff we are continuing our drive against the open dumping of waste. We will carry out a drive on World Environment Day on June 5 as well," said an official from the Coimbatore forest division.
Coimbatore forest range officials have deployed staff at night to prevent elephants from entering the old dump yard at the Maruthamalai foothill.
"We are conducting frequent checks in the forest boundaries at Pannimadai, Veerpandi, Varapalayam and Thadagam surroundings to ensure the animals stay away from searching for food in waste," said a forest department staff.