Mangaluru : Solar fence to keep elephant herds out of DK

Mangaluru : Solar fence to keep elephant herds out of DK

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, June 17, 2015: Minister for forest, environment, and ecology B Ramanath Rai stated that Karnataka and Kerala will install solar fence in Sullia taluk to curb the constant havoc created by wild elephants moving between the states.  Decision was taken at a meeting;  Minister Rai, who is also the Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister chaired with officials of forest departments of the two states at his office in Bantwal  June 16.

 

Elephants from Kerala often stray in to Karnataka causing havoc among villages  of Mandekolu, Ajjavara, Alletty and other regions in Sullia taluk that borders Kerala. The elephant herds have ended up destroying banana, coconut and arecanut plantations besides inflicting losses to the standing crops of farmers. The constant cross border travels of the herds have also instilled a sense of fear for their lives among residents of these areas. 

Minister Rai said officials of forest departments of the two states will initiate necessary steps to prevent the herds from causing further trouble to people work on the solar fence is expected to be completed in the next two months.

 DK DC  Adoor B Ibrahim said the herd of  five are moving in to Sullia from areas such as Delampady, Muliyar and other places in Kerala;  installing solar fence at the bordering areas of the two states is the solution.  For effective implementation of Forest Rights Act that guarantees land rights to people of scheduled tribes to people residing in forest land, the forest department will send its officials to Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to study how those states are dealing with the issue. Rai said the two states have a good track record on this issue and the forest dwellers have been given the right to use the forest land in a peaceful and methodical way.