The man-elephant conflict is not new to Haliyal and Joida taluks in Uttara Kannada district. The Forest Department is planning to implement a Sahyadri Elephant Project to avoid the man-animal conflict. The scientifically prepared project is expected to control elephant menace in the villages.
B. Mallesh, Assistant Conservator of Forest, Haliyal, said that efforts were on to convince the people of the villages not to grow sugarcane.
There were about 95 elephants in Haliyal and Dandeli reserve forest areas. Compared to the elephants in other parts of the State, these were sober, he said. Once, the Sahyadri Elephant Project comes into effect, the Centre would provide funds. Many pro-people programmes could be formulated for the protection of elephants, he said. The Forest Department had been planning on solar fencing and anti-elephant trenches in the borders of the forests.
Mr. Mallesh said special programmes would be taken up under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. People would be trained to repulse the elephants without harming them.
The compensation for the death of people, and the crops destroyed had been increased. The awareness among people about the protection of the elephants had increased, he said. People of the district as well as elephant lovers were eagerly waiting for the implementation of this project, he said.
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