Madikeri: The Forest Department has submitted a proposal for Rs. 3.3 crore to the State Government, to take steps to tackle man-elephant conflict in Kodagu.

The proposal was submitted through the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests to the Government a few days ago. The move of the department assumes significance in the wake of the increased incidents of elephants straying into human habitations and destroying crops during monsoon. Elephants have been causing havoc in villages such as Kalur, Mukkodlu, Hammiyala and Maldare in recent days.

There are over 1,600 elephants in Kodagu (including Nagarahole National Park) and some are said to be causing nuisance. As many as 27 such elephants have so far been captured, either translocated or tamed.

The major component in the proposal is putting up solar fencing in areas of elephant menace in the district. This involved Rs. 1.08 crore, Conservator of Forests, Kodagu Circle, Prem Kumar, told The Hindu on Saturday. A sum of Rs. 75 lakh is sought for growing fodder for elephants in forests and Rs. 50 lakh for afforestation of fragmented and degenerated forest areas.

An amount of Rs. 21 lakh is sought for developing new tanks in the forests to prevent straying of the elephants to human habitations. For setting up elephant-scaring squads and maintenance of the elephant-proof trenches, a sum of Rs. 19 lakh each had been sought, Mr. Kumar stated.

Compensation

The existing tanks in the forests needed repairs for which Rs. 15 lakh was sought from the Government. A sum of Rs. 12 lakh would be required to pay compensation to the kin of families killed in elephant attack, as also for crop loss, the proposal said. A sum of Rs. 11 lakh would be utilised for maintenance of the existing solar fencing in the district.

Population up

The department noted that the population of elephants was on the rise in the State, mainly in Bandipur, Nagarahole National Park, Kabini backwaters area and Kodagu.

Depletion of forest cover and shortage of fodder and water were cited reasons for animals straying into farm land.

The proposal envisaged containing elephant menace with the cooperation of community members.

Elephant corridors

Two elephant corridors have been identified in Kodagu. They are Nagarahole-Mavukal-Devamachi-Dubare-Anecad-Attur-Jenukalbetta-Yadavanad-Nidta-Malambi-Kattepura- Doddabetta corridor and Nagarahole-Wayanad forests-Brahmagiri-Urti-Kerti-Padinalknad- Pattighat-Kadamakkal-Bisle corridor.

The proposal said that there were five main elephant zones in Kodagu district. They were Kattepura forests and adjoining fragmented forest areas towards the north and eastern parts of the district, bordering Hassan district (Zone I), Yadavanad-Anecad areas (Zone II), Nagarahole National Park area in Kodagu and contiguous reserve forests (Zone III), Brahmagiri Wildlife area and adjoining reserve forests (Zone IV) and Talacauvery and Pushpagiri wildlife areas (Zone V).

An average of 536.5 cases of elephant attacks occur in Kodagu every year of which Zone I accounted for 57 per cent.

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