The Tamil Nadu government has sanctioned Rs 8 crore towards the establishment of a new elephant camp at Sadivayal in the Bolampatti reserve forest of Coimbatore region. This follows the announcement made by Chief Minister MK Stalin on March 15 that a new elephant camp will be set up at Sadivayal. A temporary elephant camp has been operational here since 2012.
“The sanctioned amount of Rs 8 crore will be utilized for creating elephant sheds, veterinary facilities, kitchen and elephant-proof trenches, food and water facilities for elephants. With these initiatives, the conservation and management of camp elephants will improve significantly. This proposal also includes strengthening of rescue related activities including specialized transport with necessary facilities,” said additional chief secretary and forest secretary Supriya Sahu.
The government has also sanctioned Rs 5 crore for the improvement of Kozhikamuthi elephant camp at the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Pollachi. This amount shall be utilized to create infrastructure facilities at the camp, training for mahouts and cavadies, setting up of viewing gallery for visitors, improvement of food preparation area and water availability for elephants, Sahu said.
The government has allocated Rs 9.10 crore for construction of eco-friendly and culturally compatible houses for 91 elephant caretakers of Theppakadu and Kozhikamuthi elephant camps.
“We are planning to construct 44 houses for elephant care takers of Theppakkadu at Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, while 47 houses shall be constructed for the caretakers of Kozhikamuthi Elephant Camp, at Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Pollachi,” said the official.
Last year, the government notified 1,19,748.26 hectare area for the a elephant reserve named Agasthyamalai in Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts. This year, the government sent 13 mahouts and cavadies for specialized training to Thailand, said the official.
Meanwhile, a Madras High Court bench consisting of R Subramanian and Victoria Gowri stayed a single-judge order which banned the purchase of new elephants by temples. On February 27, judge GR Subramanian directed the Hindu and Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department to instruct all temples under its control to not purchase any elephant. But the HR&CE department went on an appeal and the bench stayed the order.
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