Caption: MLA Anil Chikkamadu, Forest department officials and farmers take a look at chain link wire mesh attached to the railway track barricade fence in HD Kote taluk in Mysuru district on Monday.
Credit: DH Photo
H D Kote (Mysuru dist): After distributing face masks to villagers to curb the rising incidents of man-animal conflict, the Forest Department has taken another step by installing a chain-link mesh on an experimental basis in the Antharasanthe range of Nagarahole in the taluk.
The mesh is currently being installed along a 13-km stretch in Nagarahole. If the trial proves successful, the height of the mesh will be increased by 10 feet, Forest Department officials said.
K Paramesh, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Mysuru Territorial Division, said the technique has earlier been tested over a 2-km stretch at Balluruhundi under the Hediyala range of Bandipur during 2022–23.
“While railway track barricades prevent wild elephants from straying out, the chain-link mesh is expected to stop deer, wild boars and tigers,” he said.
The project is now being implemented with CSR funds in Nagarahole.
MLA Anil Chikkamadu said that if the experiment succeeds, the mesh will be attached to the existing 120-km railway track barricade, and a proposal will be submitted to the government.
After launching the installation near Dhammanakatte Gate in the Antharasanthe range, he said the project is being carried out in association with a private organisation.
“The estimated cost is Rs 5 lakh per km. A proposal will be submitted to the government to install the mesh along the entire 120-km stretch at an estimated Rs 25 crore in H D Kote and Saragur taluks,” he said.
The MLA added that the Forest Department has been working intensively for the past two months to reduce tiger attacks and has rescued several animals.
A comprehensive discussion on permanent measures to reduce man-animal conflict, mesh installation, and enhanced compensation to victims of wild animal attacks will be taken up during the Belagavi Session.
Under the Transfer and Counselling Management System, forest officers and guards are being posted to different taluks, which may affect coordination with local communities. This issue will be brought to the notice of the forest minister, he said.
ACF Madhu Kumar, RFO S N Siddaraju, mesh donor Sridhar, farmer leaders and others were present.