Wildlife
The fence is being regularly maintained by the department as well as members of the village forest protection committees . The department has taken the initiative to provide food and water sources in the 365-hectare jungle .
Tackling the tusker challenge
� Ramesh Sharma
Pathalgaon : A Forest Department scheme involving erection of ‘ master barricades ’ in Chhattisgarh ’ s Jashpur District is proving rather effective in checking the elephant menace .
“ With the objective of saving peasants ’ lives and crops in the vicinity of the jungle , the department has erected a high fence by winding 8 mmdiameter galvanised iron wire around trees in two layers at extremely low expense ,” Divisional Forest Officer Krishna Kumar Jadhav averred .
Earlier , residents of approximately two-dozen villages had to maintain nightly vigils as in excess of 50 pachyderms is camping for long in the Tapkara and Duldula ranges bordering Odisha and Jharkhand .
Officials monitored the animals ’ movements and 180-volt shocks were introduced at some points where the beasts attempted to break through . The fence is being regularly maintained by the department as well as members of the village forest protection committees . The department has taken the initiative to provide food and water sources in the 365-hectare jungle .
In the words of cultivator Bhupendra Singh of Ankira near Tapkara , “ The tuskers used to return even after being driven away towards Odisha .” The past three months witnessed two fatalities and destruction of 18 dwellings besides damage to hundreds of acres of paddy , maize and other crops in Tapkara area .
“ Two herds are present ,” forest official JK Upadhyay said .
Chief Conservator of Forest ( Surguja Circle ) KK Bisen stated that the fencing scheme would be extended to Raigarh and Surguja districts and felt that it would prove helpful in preventing unauthorised logging .
Satellite radio collars imported from South Africa are also being utilised . Six months back , su ch a collar was tied to the leader of a herd in Balram Range . This exercise made 46 experts and officials scour the jungle for four long days . Ten trackers from Tamil Nadu also participated . The leader was rendered unconscious by a dart fired by the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India ’ s Dr Parag Nigam . The herd was responsible for 20 deaths in Surajpur area . �
www . legacyindia . in June 2019 | Legacy India 5