The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Mining to blame for jumbo menace?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 07, 2007
ePaper

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Mining to blame for jumbo menace?

Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM: Either indiscriminate mining or disturbance caused to the habitat might have forced herd of elephants from Lakhari sanctuary of Orissa to straying into Srikakulam and Vizaiangaram killing nine tribals in the State over past three and half months.

The same herd, which had nine adult and two elephant calf when it entered Andhra Pradesh, had also trampled down six persons in Orissa. Two of the elephants have died after straying into Andhra Pradesh.

One of them was found in a highly putrified condition near Gummalakshmipuram and another died soon after it was released into the sanctuary after it was drugged and chained by Andhra Pradesh officials and transported to Orissa in a lorry. The second incident led to strong opposition by Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik following which as part of Operation Gajendra, it was decided drive them away to the border area by engaging Hulla (noise) team from West Bengal.

Conservator of Forests P.V. Padmanabham said on Tuesday that the herd might have migrated due to degradation of the forests. “Officials and mediapersons who came to see the implementation of Operation Gajendra had told us that the straying in could be due to mining operations in the border areas,” he stated.

Ancient trail

He said that the straying in of elephants from Orissa was not new. “Elephants have been visiting our area from Orissa for past 200 years. But this is the first time as many as 11 elephants coming in a herd and staying here,” he disclosed.

Interestingly, they visited some of the areas where the people had not seen an elephant in their life.

Mr. Padmanabham said generally the elephants change their habitat for want of food and water or due to some mechanical disturbance.

In most cases, they return after end of the harvest season in North Andhra. He said there were cases, where elephants prefer to change their habitat due to variety of reasons.

Sixteen elephants migrated to Chittoor district from Tamil Nadu in 1996 and settled down till now in the forests of Anantapuram, he said and pointed out that elephants were ecologically sensitive.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail