COIMBATORE: After repeated demands to curb the intrusion of wild animals into the dump yard at the foothills of Marudhamalai, the Somayampalayam village panchayat has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation to manage its waste, at a cost of Rs 9 lakh per month.
In addition, the panchayat has constructed a steel-wire fence at the foothills dump site at an outlay of Rs 23 lakh. Designed by a scientist from Hosur in Krishnagiri district, the structure uses a steel-bearing method that, officials claim, cannot be broken even by elephants.
“The Somayampalayam village panchayat, located at the foothills of Marudhamalai in Coimbatore, has implemented key measures to address issues at its dump yard. To prevent wild animals, especially elephants, from entering the dump yard, a steel-wire fence was constructed using a steel-bearing method, strong enough to withstand elephant intrusions. It has been designed by a scientist from Hosur in Krishnagiri district,” said panchayat secretary U Senthilkumar.
The barrier, which can rise up to 12 feet, consists of steel-wire ropes reinforced with steel poles. “Though there is already a trench, the dump yard continues to attract wild animals, which may eventually move into the plains. Hence, we established this strong fence,” he added.
Concerns over the impact of unsegregated waste on wildlife first drew the attention of district officials earlier this year. In May, Coimbatore Collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar recommended that the panchayat hand over its waste to the corporation for proper disposal. Acting on the directive, the Corporation has since taken over collection of the waste generated by the panchayat.
“The corporation is now collecting waste for disposal from Somayampalayam, which is the only village panchayat included under this arrangement, considering the importance of protecting wildlife. For this, the panchayat pays around Rs 9 lakh a month to the Corporation, as per the MoU,” said official sources.
Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran said that around 12 tonnes of waste have been collected from Somayampalayam since August 2025. “We have now instructed the panchayat to hand over the waste only after proper segregation,” he added.