Check encroachments in elephant corridors: HC

Though reserved forests are protected across the country, corridors connecting them, particularly those used by elephants, are not protected under any law, the Madras high court observed on Wednesday.
The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy made the observation while hearing a PIL seeking to protect the corridors in Coimbatore region of the Western Ghats.
The court directed the state government and the principal chief conservator of forests to come up with an appropriate plan to clear human encroachments in elephant corridors, particularly in Thadagam region of Coimbatore.
Steps must be taken to ensure right of passage to elephants, the court added.
According to petitioner Muralidharan, illegal mining caused by brick kilns in the Thadagam area is causing hindrance and affecting the habitat of elephants.
Muralidharan said that illegal mining in the region is the sole reason behind the rising number of man-animal conflicts. “Brick kilns that mine red soil have destroyed the corridors used by elephants to migrate to contiguous forest areas. This is resulting in elephants moving into human settlements and damaging crops and lives,” he said. “Between 1999 and 2014, as many as 100 elephants died in the area and 77 people were killed in man-animal conflicts. This apart, between 2011 and 2018, about 61 people were injured in such conflicts.”
Pointing out that 27 people are killed every year in the area in related incidents, the petitioner wanted authorities to take steps to protect the corridors in the area as done in the Nilgiris.