Committee recommends measures to mitigate man-animal conflict in Valparai

A meeting on “man-animal conflict” in connection with recent Valparai leopard attack was organised by the Joint Forum of NGOs (JFN) Coimbatore along with Wildlife biology department of Kongu Nadu College of Arts and Science on Sunday.

Comprising research scholars, retired officials of forest department, activists and executive committee members belong to various NGOs, Coimbatore Wildlife Conservation Trust, Nature Environment Service Trust, OSAI, Nature Wildlife Conservation Trust, Green Care, World Wide Fund for Nature, and Wildlife and Nature Conservation Trust.

Following a lengthy discussion, numerous recommendations were prepared unanimously which is to be handed over to the Chief Minister by JFN representatives.

Various small labour quarters belonging to same estate management that remains in various parts of Valparai should be integrated and brought under one enclosure. Proper fencing or compound wall should be constructed around the quarters to avoid wild animals from entering the houses. Each individual house should be provided with attached toilet, it said.

It said 360-degree night vision cameras enabled with AI alerting system should be installed in the labour quarters. Night leafing duty should be avoided in estates. A committee has to be formed to monitor the same by labour department. Vehicle should be provided by the estate management for pickup and drop from quarters to leafing area. Moreover, the bushes along the walking path heading to the quarters from vehicle drop point should be cleared.

Sufficient lighting arrangements should be made around the quarters area and walking path. Labour department should regularise the appointment pattern of migratory labourers working in estates across the State. In case of labourers moving from one estate to another for job, his/her personal details should be handed over to the local police station and officials concerned. Awareness programmes should be conducted in regular intervals on man-animal conflict and parental care comprising various methods in their mother-tongue for easy understanding, the forum said.

Signboards should be installed inside tea and coffee estates at caution points creating awareness on animal movement. Relocation of wild boars inside Valparai from agricultural lands in and around Coimbatore where more cases are reported on crop damage by wild boars would facilitate leopards with sufficient prey animals (wild boars).