Coimbatore: The Tamil Nadu Forest Department will resume steel wire fence installation near Thondamuthur in Coimbatore district after the Madras High Court cleared the project. The initiative aims to prevent wild elephants from straying into human settlements and farmlands.
Cameras to Study Elephant Behaviour
Following court directives, surveillance cameras will be deployed across the 10-km pilot stretch. These will help monitor elephant movement and study how herds respond to the barrier.
Officials confirmed that cameras had already been used earlier to record elephant patterns in the area. The new system will provide comprehensive data for long-term management.
Flexible, Safe and Cost-Effective Barrier
A scientist with the department explained that similar fences in Hosur proved effective. Elephants could not breach the flexible barrier, yet it caused no harm to them.
Compared to old rail barriers, the steel wire fence is safer, prevents accidents, and is more cost-effective. Constructed with high-tension steel wire and 10-foot reinforced concrete poles, the design also allows smaller animals like deer and leopards to pass through.
Officials added that the barrier can be opened during emergencies, ensuring flexibility.
Preventing Tragedies Linked to Waste
Earlier this year, authorities fenced off a closed dumping site near Maruthamalai foothills. The move followed the death of a pregnant elephant that ingested food waste and plastics at the site. The measure aimed to stop further dumping and prevent elephants from entering the area.
Court Clears Path for Work Continuation
The Thondamuthur fencing project was first announced by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in November 2024. Initial construction began early this year but was stalled after a Chennai-based activist raised concerns in court.
On September 5, a special Division Bench inspected the project area with amici curiae and stakeholders. On September 12, Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy vacated the status quo, allowing the Forest Department to proceed.
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