Karnataka: Jumbo trouble South Africa model fencing a costly affair

Chamarajanagar: The forest department has adopted the South African model of fencing forest boundaries using discarded railway tracks to stop elephants from straying into human habitats, but the exorbitant cost involved - Rs one crore per kilometer- is proving a hurdle.

Unwilling to give up the project, the department has requested the Railway Board to give it discarded rail tracks at a concessional rate or free of cost to help the cause of the wildlife. The fencing is currently in progress in the Bannerghatta National Park, and Bandipur and Nagarahole National Parks and so far 42 kms of the forest boundaries have been covered at a cost of about Rs 45 crore.

Currently, the railways charge around Rs 36,000 for a tonne of discarded tracks and the cost of installation, excavation, transportation, and labour charges add up to a figure too big for the forest department to handle, explains a senior official.

“We still have 500 to 600 kms of forest boundaries to cover and so we have asked the Railway Board to supply the discarded tracks at concessional rates or for free,” he adds.

Some wildlife conservationists are, however, sceptical about the use of the rail tracks for fencing, pointing out that the Addo Elephant Reserve in South Africa, where it was first tried, has started removing it because of the high cost of maintenance involved.

“Despite the fencing, crop raids by elephants in villages in the Omkar and Hediyala ranges of Bandipur National Park haven't come down,” says wildlife activist, Iqbal Ahmed, who is trying to find ways to mitigate the man-animal conflict.