'Weed invasion causing man-elephant conflict'

This has resulted in human-elephant conflict.In an affidavit filed by S R Prasanna Kumar, Assistant Conservator of Forests and Technical Assistant to Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, in connection with a suo motu petition over increasing jumbo deaths in the State, the department has stated that the invasion of the weeds in the protected areas has reduced the area under grass and other palatable species.

“Despite the efforts made to remove the weeds physically in Nagarhole, Bandipur and BRT tiger reserve –– these areas are part of Mysore elephant reserves –– it has not yielded results,” the affidavit said. With bamboo being the main food of several herbivores, including elephants, the affidavit said the department’s efforts to ensure artificial growth of bamboo have failed due to overgrazing by cattles belonging to the villagers in the fringes of the forest.

In addition, grazing and forest fires have also delayed the regeneration of flowering bamboos in Nagarhole, Chamarajanagar and Kollegal regions, which usually requires about five years.

The department has also hinted that since bamboo flowering has just begun in Bandipur, there might be scarcity of fodder for the next couple of years.

Preventive measures
The affidavit states that complete mitigation of human-elephant conflict is not possible, but the department claims that preventive measures have reduced the conflict in Bannerghatta, BRT wildlife sanctuary and Bandipur.

Submitting that elephant prevention trenches (EPTs) and solar powered fences (SPF) have been effective in combating the conflict, the department has said the maintenence of these EPTs has been entrusted to eco-development committees of the villages in the fringes.

The department has spent over Rs eight crore in digging and maintaining EPTs. In 2008-09, 33.07 km of EPT was dug at a cost of Rs 22.99 lakh, in 2009-10, 26.95 km at a cost of Rs 58.40 lakh and in 2010-11, the department has spent Rs 702.15 lakh to construct 41.55 km of EPT and to maintain it.

For 2011-12, there is a proposal to construct 151.80 km of EPT at a cost of Rs 130 lakh. The department has also installed SPF at a cost of Rs 153 lakh in the past, and proposes to install more at a cost of Rs 73.85 lakh in this year.

The department has also submitted that the anti-depredation cost (for scaring and driving away elephants when they enter human habitat) was increasing every year. The department has shown an expenditure of Rs 25 lakh in 2008 and Rs 76 lakh in 2010-11.
Among the other long term measures to mitigate the conflict are: providing LPG to people in adjoining forest areas and plans to restore the corridor connectivity by declaring 23,000 acres of deemed forest areas in Sakaleshpur in Hassan district. There are plans to acquire 2,500 acres of private holdings.