Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre on Sunday announced the formation of two Elephant Task Forces at Bannerghatta and Ramanagara to control human-elephant conflict.
“Currently, Elephant Task Forces are operating in Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Mysuru, and Chamarajanagar and separate task forces will be formed in Ramanagara and Bannerghatta,” Mr. Khandre said.
He also visited the residence of Veerabhadra and Kalayya who died in an elephant attack in Ramanagara district and presented a cheque of ₹15 lakh.
The Minister said that elephants come to human settlement to consume jackfruit, sugarcane and coffee beans and in order to prevent it, solar wire fencing and hanging solar fences are some of the solutions which will be installed in jumbo-infested areas.
He said that 132 km of barricading work is being carried out near the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, of which 89 km has been completed.
Mr. Khandre said that forest officials have been instructed to complete the remaining barricading work soon.
He also said that forest officials have been instructed to take action against elephant poaching in Hassan, Kodagu, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Ramanagara, Bannerghatta areas and also ensure that there is no loss of life.
“There is a plan to lay 641 km of barricades and solar fences across the State, of which 360 km have been completed. Although there are 629 elephants in the State, the human casuality rate is very low compared to other States. Human life is precious and the government is bound to take all necessary measures to avoid loss of life,” he said.
In 2019-20, there were 50 human deaths due to wild animal attacks in the State, of which 29 were due to elephants. “While 41 deaths occurred during 2020-21, in 2021-22 there were 29 deaths and in 2022-23 so far there have been 51 deaths out of which 29 were due to elephant attacks,” he said.
The Minister said that while construction of a railway barricade will cost ₹ 1.5 crore per km, hanging solar fences and solar wire fences will cost ₹ 6 lakh.
The Minister during his visit was accompanied by Kanakapura MP D.K. Suresh, Ramanagara MLA Iqbal Hussain and MLC S. Ravi.
Responding to Mr. Suresh’s suggestion that elephant menace can be avoided if thick stone barricades are constructed instead of solar fences, Mr. Khandre directed officials to submit a comparative report on railway barricades and stone barriers.
He said that all crops that are damaged by animals should get compensation and there should be equal compensation for crop damage.
Mr. Khandre also said that the leopard menace has increased in many parts of the State, especially in Ramanagara, and suggested that measures should be taken to catch the leopards and send them back to the forest and also to rehabilitation centers.
