TN forest minister promises measures to keep elephants away from plastics

COIMBATORE: State Forest Minister M Mathiventhan on Wednesday promised measures to prevent wild elephants from venturing out of the forest to consume plastics and leftovers in garbage yards.

“Elephants that venture out of the forest into residential settlements tend to consume leftovers and plastics. The spots where elephants eat such waste will be identified, to take preventive measures,” he said while addressing the media at the Tamil Nadu Forest Academy (TNFA) in Coimbatore, after paying final respects to 41 forest department officials, who lost their lives, on National Forest Martyrs Day.

Further, Mathiventhan said modern equipment will be given to forest personnel involved in elephant driving-away operations.

“Elephants enter the villages in the foothills of the Western Ghats, especially during the migratory season. So far old technology has been used to chase them away. Soon the forest personnel will be provided with the latest equipment,” he said.

Also Read: AI cameras find over 500 elephant intrusions along railway tracks in Madukkarai range

The Minister said elephant hits on the railway tracks in Madukkarai in Coimbatore outskirts have been stopped through AI technology.

“To prevent human-animal conflicts, experts are studying the possibility of retrieving their migratory pathways without causing any issues to people. Because of obstructions in their pathway, the elephants take a different route, which is also taken as their migratory way,” he said.

Mathiventhan also said the state government will consider the possibility of laying roads in tribal villages in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR).