Now, state govt plans elephant village
Mumbai: With a view to tackle the elephant menace in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, the state government is planning an elephant village in Sindhudurg district.
This will minimise the man-elephant conflict and also encourage eco-tourism in the region, besides providing the tuskers with a new shelter, as proposed by the Maharashtra government.
The project is the first of its kind in India, which will provide elephants with water and food to eat, said state forest minister Babanrao Pachpute. The elephant village is planned at Tillari dam in Sindhudurg district. The dam is an ideal place, as it is surrounded with four villages Aajara, Chandgad, Doda Marg and Vengurle, he said.
The basic idea is to rehabilitate elephants that destroy the crops and create fear among the people, he added.
The question of the safety of people and crops has become a major issue as eight people have died of the elephant menace so far in the Konkan region. Also, an NGO, the Earth Matters Foundation, has taken the initiative to start up the project and primary talks are on, Pachpute said.
The NGO has done some research in the area and also has the experience to handle them. According to the survey, they need 50-250 hectare of land for rehabilitating the elephants, he said.
Pachpute said the elephants come from the drought-prone areas of Karnataka in search of food. The Tellari dam area is full of greenery and is surrounded with banana, coconut and cashew trees. The area also gets good rain every year, which attracts elephants. AGENCIES
This will minimise the man-elephant conflict and also encourage eco-tourism in the region, besides providing the tuskers with a new shelter, as proposed by the Maharashtra government.
The project is the first of its kind in India, which will provide elephants with water and food to eat, said state forest minister Babanrao Pachpute. The elephant village is planned at Tillari dam in Sindhudurg district. The dam is an ideal place, as it is surrounded with four villages Aajara, Chandgad, Doda Marg and Vengurle, he said.
The basic idea is to rehabilitate elephants that destroy the crops and create fear among the people, he added.
The question of the safety of people and crops has become a major issue as eight people have died of the elephant menace so far in the Konkan region. Also, an NGO, the Earth Matters Foundation, has taken the initiative to start up the project and primary talks are on, Pachpute said.
The NGO has done some research in the area and also has the experience to handle them. According to the survey, they need 50-250 hectare of land for rehabilitating the elephants, he said.
Pachpute said the elephants come from the drought-prone areas of Karnataka in search of food. The Tellari dam area is full of greenery and is surrounded with banana, coconut and cashew trees. The area also gets good rain every year, which attracts elephants. AGENCIES