Monday 4 February 2013

Forest Department measures to protect elephant corridors

M. SOUNDARIYA PREETHA
In the wake of rapid development in areas near the reserve forests in the district and increasing elephant movement into villages, the Forest Department has taken a series of measures recently to ensure that new constructions do not come up in the elephant corridors or affect elephant movement in the forest area.

The department has intimated the appropriate authorities on constructions coming up without its permission in the Hill Area Conservation Act (HACA) notified villages or buildings that are promoted on the agricultural land in the areas close to the forest without getting a “no objection certificate” from the department.

Village panchayats

It has also told nearly 20 village panchayats (in the HACA notified area) that are seeing several new buildings coming up that the structures need no objection certificate from the department.

The unauthorised constructions should not be given power or water supply. This will act as a deterrent, says District Forest Officer V. Thirunavukarasu.

The department has also suggested to the District Local Planning Authority (LPA) that the land classification should not be changed in the sensitive villages identified by it near the forest.

Further, the Forest Department has recently asked the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) to gets its concurrence before installing street lights in the tribal hamlets in the forest area. This is to ensure safety of the people there and that elephant movement is not affected.

Mr. Thirunavukarasu The Hindu on Friday that as many as 22 tribal hamlets in Karamadai range did not have electricity supply till about five years ago.

When the Tangedco started the process of providing electricity to all hamlets, the supply was given only to the households.

Streetlights

However, when streetlights were provided under the Tamil Nadu Habitations Improvement Scheme, several lights had come up.

“There is no ban on erection of streetlights. However, we want to permit it after evaluating the local conditions before the electricity poles are erected,” he said. The lights could be permitted based on the local conditions.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/forest-department-measures-to-protect-elephant-corridors/article4380826.ece

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