Recently, AS Ponnanna, the chief minister’s legal advisers and MLA of the Virajpet Assembly constituency launched the process of construction of railway railings to barricade the area under Virajpet jurisdiction. The government has released an amount of Rs 22 crore for 15 Km stretch in various parts of Virajpet.
AS Ponnanna, performed pooja for the construction of Railway barricade of 3 km from the B. Shettigeri G. P and 11 kms at Nagarhole border.
Speaking on the occasion MLA said that man animal conflict have been in the district for many years and it is a major problem in Kodagu, where the locals, planters, farmers and estate labourers are in danger. To solve this problem permanently, the government is planning to construct railway barricades, solar fence and elephant trenches wherever necessary to control the wild elephant attack.
Further, MLA said that the government has devised many projects and programs to prevent wildlife attacks. The government and officials are making all kinds of effort in this regard. It is important to save human life and prevent crop damage. MLA informed that he bought this to the notice of the forest minister and the chief minister and availed a special grant of Rs 22 crore.
Ponnanna also informed that the government is committed to find a permanent solution by directly interacting with local residents, farmers, forest officials and wildlife experts and added that the railway barricades and solar fencing will help to control only about 80% of wildlife intrusion.
Speaking on the occasion, Sanket Poovaiah, a member of the Wildlife Council, said that it is very necessary to find a permanent scientific solution for wild elephant and human conflict. With the efforts of MLA A.S Ponnanna, a special grant of 21 crores has been released by the government and this amount will be utilised to control wild animals entering residential areas and plantations.
Nehru, Deputy Forest Conservator who was speaking on the occasion said that a railway railings are used as barricades in order to avoid the conflict of human and wild elephant, further solar fences would also be built where it is necessary.
The Forest Department is always conscious and informed that all levels of staff is working hard to avoid man animal conflict. On this occasion he requested the cooperation of the locals which is very essential, he added.
Jagannath, deputy forest conservator officer, informed that about 182 villages in Virajpet and Ponnampet taluk will come under their belt and movements of the wild animals are being monitored and the locals are being informed through AIR and SMS. In this regard, 17 teams have been formed by the Forest Department to check wild elephants movements.
This year, the crop loss of worth Rs 5 crore has been distributed and one more crore is pending from the government for the distribution of crop damages and informed that all payments were done through on-line only.
Bopanna, the president of the B. Shettigeri Grama Panchyat speaking on the occasion said that the radio collar should be installed for the wild elephants
Zonal Forest Officers Kariappa, Gopala, Shivaram and others were present on the occasion.
Later on the borders of the Devamachi-Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, the MLA inspected various projects.
