Hassan: The forest department in Hassan district is set to create an elephant corridor at a cost of Rs 53 crore to mitigate the human-elephant conflict. A proposal in this regard will be submitted to the Union govt. The work will commence upon getting approval, said minister of forest, ecology, and environment Eshwar Khandre.Wild elephant menace is rampant in the district. Apart from attacking humans, the elephants also damage properties. Nearly 100 elephants have been roaming near the human habitats and forest border areas in the district.The minister appreciated forest officials for their dedication and highlighted the importance of raising awareness on human-wildlife conflict through social media. Last year, seven people lost their lives in elephant attacks, and this year, four people died.Karnataka leads the country with 6,500 elephants and ranks second with 565 tigers. He stressed that wildlife conservation is everyone’s responsibility and emphasised the necessity of coexistence.To mitigate human-elephant conflict, a technology-based thermal drone squad has been introduced for the elephant task force in the district. This squad will effectively monitor elephant movements in conflict areas during morning and night, providing timely information to the public and department staff. The drone squad vehicle, equipped with a thermal drone and computer system, can monitor elephant movements and provide information from within the vehicle.The state forest department is developing certain programmes to control the menace. The department is considering establishing an elephant control zone. Due to the reduction in forest areas and the increase in animal populations, crops were destroyed in places like Hassan, Belur, and Sakleshpura.Elephants are leaving the forests and entering rural and urban lands. To prevent their entry, the govt plans to implement a permanent solution, which includes building fences and digging trenches.
