TN uses water troughs to check human-animal conflict near forest areas

Chennai: The human-animal conflict has been increasing at an exponential rate in recent times keeping people living near forest areas on tenterhooks. As a measure to counter this, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department has initiated a new project to place water troughs in forest areas. The project, now implemented in Hosur forest range of Krishnagiri district, aims to prevent human-animal conflict.

An official of Tamil Nadu Forest Department told IANS that the Department has requested the public to support the initiative to fill in water troughs.

The official added that the Department has requested people to donate for the project during special occasions at their homes including birthdays and wedding anniversaries.

In Hosur forest range, there are 70 water troughs and many check dams but they dry up during the summer. However, in monsoon these troughs and check dams are full.

A water trough can hold up to 10,000 litres of water and two tankers with a capacity of 5,000 litres each are required to fill each trough. The officials said that the cost of one tanker of water is Rs 1,500.

Many social organisations and NGOs have started supporting the initiative of the Hosur forest range. An NGO that does not want to be named has donated Rs 30,000 to fill the water troughs.

K. M.Selvaraj, a farmer in Krishnagiri, while speaking to IANS said: "This is a good initiative on the part of state Forest Department. More than seven people have died in this range in wild elephant attacks. Wild animals frequent villages in search of water and food and let’s hope that this initiative reduces the human animal conflict.”
(With inputs from IANS)