Solar fence to be set up on PTR border to keep off wildlife

 

THE HINDU BUREAU, 

IDUKKI

The Forest department has decided to install a solar fence at Thondiyar, near Vandiperiyar, Idukki, to tackle the human-wildlife conflict at Thondimala, which borders the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR). According to Forest department officials, the fences are being set up on a war footing after a wild gaur attacked a woman in the area.

The department is continuing with its drive to chase back to the deep forests the wild gaur that attacked Stella, a cardamom plantation worker and a resident of 63rd Mile, on Tuesday.

Stella, who was attacked while she was working in the plantation on the Thondiyar estate, sustained severe injuries and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital at Mundakkayam.

After the incident, a farmers’ movement had launched an indefinite hunger strike demanding immediate action against wild animal attacks.

The protest was temporarily suspended after Kottayam Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) N. Rajesh, PTR deputy director Patil Suyog Subah Rao, and Assistant Field Director Suresh Babu promised them of immediate solution. “Drone monitoring continues in Thondiyar. Two patrol teams monitor the presence of wild animals in the area and chase them back to the PTR. The location borders the PTR, and wild animals at times enter the cardamom plantation,” said Mr. Rajesh.

Mr. Suresh Babu said the PTR would construct a 3-km-long solar fencing at Thondiyar.

“The project’s tender process has already begun and is expected to be completed within a month. The estimated cost of the solar fencing is ₹10 lakh,” said the official.

Residents’ demand

Meanwhile, Azhutha block panchayat member Shaji Pynadathu said the people in Spring Valley, Wallardie, Vandiperiyar, and Thondimala faced severe threats from wild animal attacks. “Due to the increasing wild gaur attacks, the workers keep off cardamom plantations. We want these animals to be tranquilised and translocated deep into the forest. Now, the Forest department chases back the animals to forests bordering human habitations and the animals return within two days,” said Mr. Pynadathu.

In March last week, a 46-year-old man was seriously injured in a wild gaur attack at Spring Valley, near Kumily, in Idukki.

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Kerala seeks to limit its ESA to 8,712 sq km in 98 villages

 

THE HINDU BUREAU, 

KOCHI, September 19, 2024

Kerala has proposed to limit its ecologically sensitive area (ESA) to 8,711.98 sq km in 98 villages by confining the ESA to forests and protected areas including wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, and tiger reserves of the State.

The State has excluded human habitations and plantations from the purview of the ESA in the process. It has also added a rider to its draft proposal submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change that it may come up with a final proposal later, according to a communique from the Chief Minister’s Office.

Draft proposal

The draft proposal was submitted in response to an initiative from the Ministry, which had sought the views of the Western Ghats States to notify the ESA in the mountain ranges.

The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel report and the subsequent High-Level Working Group report on Western Ghats had evolved as socially and politically sensitive issues in the State with a section of the Church and most political parties opposing the recommendations. The State governments had been treading with caution on ESA notifications fearing that any wrong move would lead to a political backlash in the hill districts of the State.

Though the Kasturirangan panel had identified 59,940 sq km as ESA for Kerala, an expert committee appointed by the State government had recommended limiting it to 9,993.7 sq km, which included 9,107 sq km of forest and 886.7 sq km of non-forest areas. The draft ESA notification issued by the Ministry on July 31, 2024 went by the recommendations of the State to limit the ESA to 9,993.7 sq km though the number of villages that came under the ambit of the ESA went up to 131 from the earlier 123, the Chief Minister’s Office pointed out.

The increase in the number of villages was due to the formation of new villages in the State by dividing the earlier ones. There is no increase in the extent of the proposed ESA. The State further reduced the extent of ESAs after considering reports from the districts, according to the government.

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