Madras HC judges to inspect site of proposed steel wire rope fencing to prevent human-elephant conflict

Chennai, Aug 19 In a rare move underscoring the seriousness of rising Human-Elephant Conflicts (HEC) in Tamil Nadu, two judges of the Madras High Court have decided to conduct a personal inspection of a 10-kilometre stretch at Thondamuthur in Coimbatore district, where the state government has proposed to install steel wire rope fencing.

Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy will visit the site on September 5 and 6, along with amici curiae T. Mohan, Chevanan Mohan, Rahul Balaji, and M. Santhanaraman. The judges will also inspect other spots in the Mettupalayam region known for frequent elephant movement.

Special Government Pleader (Forests) T. Seenivasan has been directed to join the team and coordinate with district forest officials for the visit.

The proposal has stirred debate after activist S. Muralidharan objected to the erection of the fencing, while the Forest Department defended the plan.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra told the court that though the initial plan was for 30 km of fencing, financial sanction was cleared only for 10 km.

He cited alarming data: between 2011 and 2022, 147 people died in elephant-related incidents in Coimbatore forest division, where elephants strayed out 9,710 times in just the past three years. The government paid Rs 11.35 crore in compensation during the period.

Dogra also argued that conventional measures like elephant-proof trenches and solar fences had failed to prevent elephants from raiding crops and entering homes.

As a pilot project, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced the rope fencing in November 2024, and a Government Order sanctioning Rs 5 crore was issued in February 2025.

However, the amici curiae opposed the plan, warning that the fencing could worsen the conflict. They pointed out that the terrain is steep and directly abuts private land without a buffer zone.

Blocking the stretch, they argued, would either force elephants to dangerously navigate slopes or attempt to break through the barrier, increasing the risk of fatalities.

They also cautioned that preventing elephants from accessing adjoining forests would only shift conflicts to new areas.

The legal experts urged the government to hold off until elephant corridors in the region are scientifically identified and notified. They stressed the need for an impact study before implementing fencing in such ecologically sensitive zones.

Taking note of the conflicting views, the division bench observed that an on-the-ground understanding was essential.

The judges said they would undertake the visit with forest officials and amici curiae to personally assess the feasibility of the project before passing further orders.

--IANS

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