Foresters Plan Elephant Holding Area, Camp at Manyam Forest to Check Elephant Menace

Vijayawada: Foresters have come up with a strategy to address the elephant menace in Parvathipuram Manyam forest area. They plan to set up an elephant-holding area as also an elephant camp and provide adequate compensation to the farmers who lost their crops. A final clearance is awaited from the government.

At present, there are 12 elephants in the area, out of the 18, as four elephants had been killed in a train mishap and two had gone into the Odisha forests.

Some 12 years ago, a herd of elephants from Odisha forests migrated to AP, finding its forests are relatively accommodative and peaceful with no disturbances like mining of minerals, felling of trees and encroachment of forest lands for construction of houses.

These elephants are moving into human habitations in search of food and eating away the crops being raised by agriculturists. This is causing hardships to many farmers. Worse, at times these elephants are attacking the villagers.

The forest department, after a pause, has come up with several plans to overcome this crisis situation. They have announced a plan to develop an elephant holding area in about 400 to 500 acres of forest land and ensure availability of adequate water and food to them.

Secondly, an elephant camp would be set up in about 10 to 15 acres of land to keep trained elephants there by providing them with water and food. In case of any wild elephants straying into human habitations, these trained elephants can be released to tame them and push them back into the forests.

A trained elephant is called ‘Kunki’ and it is well-equipped to deal with wild elephants.

The forest authorities are also planning to shift the elephants to a zoo and maintain an elephant safari.

It would cost ₹10 lakh per annum to maintain each elephant by providing them food. The maintenance of their habitat would cost an extra sum.

Farmers often complain about damage or loss when a herd of elephants trample upon their crops for food. The forest department plans to provide proper compensation to them.

However, as a long-term strategy, the foresters intend to set up an elephant-holding enclosure in a large forest area and erect fencing around it to avoid elephants from straying into human habitations.

The chief conservator of forests here, Srikanta Reddy said, “We have sent proposals on these for consideration of the government and are awaiting the final nod.”