An awareness programme on human-animal conflict was held at Hosur Forest Division recently. The programme was organised as part of the extended World Forestry Day celebrations, says a release issued here on Wednesday.
P.L. Ananthaswamy, Retired Principal Chief Conservator of Forests was the chief guest.
Sandeep Nanduri, Sub Collector presided over the meeting.
The release said that the programme was conducted to publicise the department's effort in handing Human-Elephant Conflict to the general public.
People living in the vicinity of reserve forests were selected to participate in the programme.
A documentary about the migration of elephants and their behaviour was screened on the occasion.
The officials also gave an electronic presentation on the activities of the Forest Department, facts about elephant migration in Hosur, public cooperation such as elephant-driving exercise which included creating Elephant Proof Trenches, besides providing water and fodder resources to prevent elephants coming out of forest areas.
On the occasion, about 130 members of the public who had extended their help to drive the animals into the forests whenever the pachyderms entered patta lands were honoured with certificates and rewards.
Some of them shared their experience with the audience.
Forty members of the public and field staff, who had gone to Uthangarai to drive away nine elephants from Tirupattur-Tiruvannamalai region during July and August last year were honoured.
Eleven staff and officers from revenue, agriculture and horticulture departments of Uthangarai region were also recognized and honoured for their immediate response and field inspection done to hand over crop compensation to affected farmers in the Uthangarai Elephant conflict season.
Kenneth Anderson Nature Society, Hosur, an NGO which has been co-operating with the department in all the awareness activities, was honoured for the support to the forest department.
Sub Collector, Sandeep Nandoori, distributed the certificates and rewards.
District Forest Officer A.K. Ulaganathan, Assistant Conservator of Forests C.H.Padma and all Forest Range Officers and field staff were present on the occasion, the release adds.
