While 36 illegal resorts operating in the buffer zone of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) along the notified elephant corridor were sealed recently, activists have urged the forest department and district administration to demolish the fences surrounding most of these properties, as they continue to hinder the movement of elephants and other animals.
Speaking to The Hindu , G. Janardhanan, President of the Ooty Public Awareness Association, said that while the action against the resorts, after a Supreme Court directive was welcome, the lack of action on behalf of the forest department to remove the solar powered electric fences, constructed around most of the resorts in the area, would render the verdict meaningless.
“As the fences are yet to be removed, the animals will continue to face bottlenecks along the corridor, again forcing them to enter human habitations and bringing them into conflict with humans,” said Mr. Janardhanan.
Another conservationist, requesting anonymity, said that the fences were not just an impediment to the movement of animals in the area, but also posed a threat to their safety. “As the resorts have been sealed and there are no people there, wild animals, including tigers, leopards, wild dogs and other animals could get ensnared in them, as some of the fences are barbed wire fences, and people may not even notice that an animal requires help. So the best course of action would be to immediately remove the fences,” said the conservationist, adding that there was a pre-existing high court order from 2012, directing the forest department to remove the fences.
Responding to the activists’ concerns, top forest department officials in-charge of the buffer zone of the tiger reserve said that efforts would be taken to remove the fences in the coming weeks and months.
“We are aware of the need to remove the fences, but have been informed that there could arise law and order issues if we move towards removing the fences straight away,” said the official, stating that the forest department would not allow the previous resort owners or anyone else to do maintenance or repair work on the fences.
