The State government estimates that about ₹500 crore is required to complete rail barricading around forests in the State to prevent elephants from straying out.
Of the total 641-km stretch of forest identified to have the rail barricade, the project has been completed for about 310-km stretch. The barricade is being seen as important in the light of increasing man-animal conflict. In the last three weeks, three persons died in elephant attacks in the State. During 2022–2023, of the 51 deaths reported in wild animal attacks, 29 deaths involved elephants.
Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said that with about ₹1.5 crore required to complete 1-km stretch of rail barricade, the department estimates that about ₹450 crore to ₹500 crore was required to complete the project. “Once the barricading is completed, we expect the casualties can be reduced by 80%,” the Minister said, adding that hanging solar fences were also being used to prevent animals from straying out.
Meanwhile, the State will increase the number of elephant task forces to seven with two new task forces proposed to be set up in Ramanagara and Bengaluru Rural districts. Primarily, the task force is set up in those districts where cases of elephants straying out are high. Currently, elephant task forces are operating in Mysuru, Hassan, Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, and Chamarajanagar. The two new task forces in Ramanagara and Bengaluru Rural are to be set up in the light of the recent deaths reported in Ramanagaraa, and also in view of the frequent straying of elephants from Bannerghatta forest.
