Madikeri, August 22
Karnataka Forest Minister Ramalinga Reddy will visit Kodagu on August 28 to review the growing human-wildlife conflict and hold discussions with residents and families affected by elephant attacks.
Chief Minister’s Political Secretary and Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna announced the visit in Madikeri on Saturday. He said the Minister would assess the situation and consult local communities before deciding on further measures to reduce wildlife encounters in plantations and residential areas.
Two elephants were captured during recent Forest Department operations in the district. However, simply releasing the animals back into the wild may not solve the problem as they could return to plantations and human habitations, Ponnanna said. A more systematic policy was required to handle captured elephants.
Kodagu currently has elephant camps at Dubare and Mathigodu. The recently captured animals have been shifted to the Dubare camp. Ponnanna called for additional kraals and improved facilities at the camp to accommodate and manage elephants safely.
He said a previous Forest Minister had proposed the “soft release” of captured elephants, under which animals are gradually rehabilitated before being released into suitable forest habitats. The State government would examine the proposal and consider its implementation if it was found practical and beneficial.
The government was installing railway barricades, digging trenches and erecting solar-powered fences in phases to prevent elephants from entering villages and plantations. The possibility of relocating some elephants to States with smaller elephant populations could also be studied, he said.
Ponnanna expressed concern that Kodagu had not received any financial assistance under the Union government’s Project Elephant scheme despite recurring conflicts and the district’s substantial elephant population.
He urged political parties to work together to secure Central assistance and find a lasting solution. Opposition leaders should approach Union Ministers and press for funds instead of limiting their response to protests, he added.
