The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Elephant zone proposal draws flak

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Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Elephant zone proposal draws flak

Correspondent

VIZIANAGARAM: Chief Minister Y.Rajasekhara Reddy’s reported decision to declare 30 km of forest area in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts an ‘elephant zone’ drew flak from tribals as well as from political parties.

The CPI (M) has decided to launch ‘padayatra’ for five days from Neelakantapuram in Kurupam mandal on February 1. It would cover all the tribal villages in Kurupam, G.L.Puram, Jiyyammavalasa mandals in Vizianagaram district and Veeraghattam, Sitampeta and Bhamini mandals in Srikakulam district, said Kolaka Lakshmana Murty, Naguru MLA. He has also released a poster to this effect. During the padayatra opinion of tribals on the Chief Minister’s proposal would be sought, he said.

Meanwhile, the Forest Department has already informed the powers-that-be that the forest area where at present the six rogue elephants are moving is not suitable for elephant sanctuary. According to forest officials, the foliage and also water sources would go dry during mid-summer forcing the animals to migrate once again in search of greener pastures. Moreover, the proposed forest area is not more than 3 km width and it is dotted by a number tribal habitations.

Man-animal conflict

Rehabilitating them from the area is not an easy task for the government. Peculiarly, the tribal families pitch huts and live beside ‘podu’ cultivating areas. In such circumstances, frequent encounters between the pachyderms and tribals could not be ruled out, the officials told this correspondent on Monday. It may be recalled that 11 elephants entered the Agency mandals from Lakhari sanctuary in Orissa in August last year and trampled a dozen people to death in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts.

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