The Tamil Nadu Forest Department recently released its draft elephant corridor report. However, following opposition from multiple stakeholders, the department has decided to conduct public hearings in elephant range districts.
The Tamil Nadu government set up an elephant corridor committee headed by V.Naganathan, who is the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests. Its mandate was to reassess the existing corridors in Tamil Nadu. An elephant corridor is basically a parcel of land that facilitates the movement of elephants.
Tamil Nadu is a State that is rich in biodiversity. It also has a healthy elephant population. But TN has also witnessed a lot of human-elephant conflicts. This has led to deaths of elephants, humans, damage to crops and houses. Many elephants have also perished by electrocution and been run over by trains.
Presentation: D Suresh Kumar
Video: Thamodharan B
Production: Shibu Narayan
