A high-level meeting called by Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran to discuss initiatives to prevent the increasing human-wildlife conflicts was held at Kuttikkanam in Idukki on Tuesday.
High Range Circle Chief Conservator of Forests Arun R.S. talked about the ongoing projects of the Forest department to prevent human-wildlife conflicts in the area, according to officials. As of now, five permanent Rapid Response Teams (RRT) and nine emergency operation centres are functioning in the high range circle area.
In the meeting, Forest department officials said that a project to fix hanging solar fencing in various areas in the high range circle is going on. As part of a National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) project, fencing is being installed along 171.5 kilometres in different forest divisions. As part of the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) scheme, hanging solar fencing is being installed in 45.65 kilometres in different forest divisions. In addition, construction of trenches to keep elephants at bay is also going on.
Discussions were also held on how to implement the recently launched Mission Food, Fodder, and Water (Mission FFW), an initiativeto ensure water and food availability in forests, in the high range circle.
Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Finance P. Pukazenthi, Wildlife Warden Pramod G. Krishnan, Field Director of Project Tiger KottayamP. P. Pramod, and Kottayam DFO N. Rajesh, among others, attended the meeting.
Published - February 04, 2025 08:58 pm IST
