Environmentalists oppose proposal to commercialise elephant corridor in TN
COIMBATORE: Environmentalists have raised strong objections to the proposal put forth by the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) to designate commercial land use between Perur Chettipalayam and Sundakkamuthur in the Coimbatore Master Plan, stating that it would obstruct an important elephant pathway.
Currently, wild elephants move between Kalkothi (near Karunya University) and Walayar. They warn that if commercial activities are permitted on this stretch, human-elephant conflicts could rise, leading to property damage and possible loss of human lives. Environmentalists allege that commercial land use has been proposed within the elephant corridor to benefit a well-known realtor who is close to the ruling government. They are upset that the realtor has allegedly advertised that there is no wild elephant movement in the area, claiming that an elephant-proof trench (EPT) has been dug, thus inviting them to purchase land here.
"As per norms, buildings and other infrastructure should come up only at a distance of 150 metres from the forest boundary. However, the realtor has developed this layout within 100 metres of the forest boundary. Even in a recent case concerning objections to the construction of a 184-foot-tall Lord Murugan statue, the Special Bench of the Madras High Court directed the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department to maintain a distance of 500 metres from the forest," a well-known environmentalist said on the condition of anonymity.
Another wildlife enthusiast said sound acts as a psychological barrier for elephants. "Elephants may react in two ways after hearing human-generated sounds. If they become accustomed to such sounds, they may frequently enter human-dominated areas. We have already seen instances where elephants refuse to move away even after crackers are burst. Alternatively, elephants could also avoid noisy areas, leading to a reduction in habitat use. However, at forest boundaries, the animals would encounter continuous human disturbance, which would affect their free movement," an activist said. Environmentalists also warned that granting permission to the realtor to develop layouts and sell plots could encourage others to occupy similar areas close to forests, which could have a further negative impact on wildlife.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu State Wildlife Board member and founder of Osai, K Kalidasan, urged the district administration and forest department to take steps to prevent the realtor from selling land in the area. "The proposed site falls under Perur Chettipalayam, which is one of the 42 elephant corridors identified by the expert committee appointed by the state government. We urge authorities to stop carrying out development activities towards the Western Ghats. It is the responsibility of every citizen to protect the Western Ghats, which provide water sources and clean air to lakhs of people in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts," he said.
He added that wild elephants do not distinguish between forests, reserve forests or plains, as they keep moving in search of food and water to meet their daily needs.