Karnataka govt allocates Rs 40 cr for 26-km railway barricade for safety of elephants

Bengaluru, PTI: Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Tuesday announced that an immediate allocation of Rs 40 crore has been made for the construction of a 26 km railway barricade to address elephant menace in Ramanagara district. He expressed concerns over elephants entering human settlements and causing crop damage and loss of life. "Therefore, priority is being given to the construction of railway barricades," he said during a high-level meeting held at the Ramanagara District Commissioner's office.

"Since becoming a minister, Khandre has approved a total of 35 km of railway barricades for Ramanagara district, of which 25 km has already been completed. The remaining work is in progress," a statement shared by the Minister's office stated. According to the statement, the district has 85 areas with high elephant conflict, 45 areas with moderate conflict, and 40 areas with low conflict.

To address this, Khandre directed officials to implement a 24-hour alert system to notify villagers whenever elephants leave the forest and enter human settlements. He has instructed district, taluk, and village panchayat staff, as well as public representatives, to relay this information to villagers via WhatsApp and other means. Following the model of the elephant soft release center in Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Khandre responded positively to legislators' requests to establish an elephant corridor near Muttatti or Neralahatti in Ramanagara district. This would help prevent elephants from entering farmlands at night, feeding on crops, and returning to the forest.

The Minister also highlighted the need to ensure adequate water and food for elephants and other wildlife within forest areas. He directed officials to maintain water levels in forest ponds, especially during summer, and install solar-powered pumps in borewells to ensure continuous water supply.

On the sidelines, he instructed officials to take preventive measures to control forest fires during summer, including creating fire lines and ensuring the readiness of firefighting equipment. Officials were also asked to take steps to control pollution in rivers and lakes across the district.