Solar fencing to deter crop-raiding elephants

HYDERABAD: Taking a serious note of the continuous raids by elephants on crops surrounding forest areas in Chittoor and Srikakulam districts, the forest department has come up with a slew of measures to prevent the intrusion of elephants into human habitations. Special measures have been taken up by the department including construction of check-dams, development of water bodies and  erection of solar power fencing at all vulnerable locations inside the forest to restrict the movements of elephants to the forest areas, said A Shankaran, deputy conservator of forests.It is the acute shortage of fodder and water in the forests, especially in summer season, that eventually provokes the pachyderms to stray into the  nearby villages. As a curative measure, fodder patches and salt licks are being developed in the forest areas itself so that the animals can get enough feed in their habitat, Shankaran said. The forest department is going to implement the special measures in the elephant habitations of Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary and Sri Venkateswara Wildlife Sanctuary in Chittoor district,  Barnakonda and Antikonda forest areas in Srikakulam district.“All these measures have been in place before, but did not translate into action effectively. Now, care is being taken for their effective implementation as the numbers of elephant raids on crop fields have been increased in the recent past,” Shankaran said. Officials blamed the fast depleting forest areas for the increasing cases of elephant intrusions into the human habitations. “ Putting a curb on the deforestation activities is the answer to elephant menace. The animals would not venture out side if they get a proper habitat,” said V Tirumala Rao, forest range officer. The elephant menace is not new to Chittoor and Srikakulam districts which has been creating trouble for farmers since the past two decades, ever since herds of the animal had infiltrated the state forests from neighbouring Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and Odisha, he said adding the villagers should not harm the elephants in any form as it is a non-bailable offence.