Coimbatore: According to reports, patrolling has been intensified in the foothills of Western Ghats adjoining Coimbatore district to avert human-animal conflicts and eliminate poaching.
This renewed and intensified patrolling by forest officials has been put in place, following the tragic death of a pregnant elephant near Palakkad in neighbouring Kerala, which created a nationwide furore.
In all the seven Forest Ranges in Coimbatore district, which shares boarders with Kerala, forest personnel and the police have enhanced monitoring and surveillance.
Following the unfortunate incident, both the forest department and local police here has warned farmers and those engaged in illegal hunting, to not place explosive-laden traps either to capture or kill wild animals.
Following strict directions, although use of explosives by poachers and farmers has significantly dropped. But, there have been occasional instances of placing firecrackers and other country-made explosives stuffed in food and eatables, which keep the forest personnel on their toes.
The jumbo in Kerala died due to the incapacitating severe wound, most likely after eating an explosive-laden pineapple. The 15-year-old elephant died standing in the middle of Velliyar river on May 27.
In the Periyanaicken Palayam and Sirumugai forest ranges of Coimbatore district, the use of the country-made crude explosive, is rampant primarily among those indulging in hunting wild boars. At times, cultivators too employ such techniques, to ward off wild animals from entering into farmland. A few months back, four cows were killed after eating the explosive stuffed food in the Mettupalayam and Periyanaicken Palayam forest ranges. Their death was so brutal that their head were blown into pieces.
Further, in 2014 and 2016 the Outtukai explosives claimed the lives of two elephant calves and a few more jumbos too died of severe wounds in their mouth that incapacitated them from eating or drinking. Following public outrage, the Forest Department too carried out a probe into the incidents.
In recent months, there are reports of a sharp rise in the use of Outtukai by poachers in the forest ranges of Coimbatore district. This is despite the constant vigil and surveillance carried out by the forest department. Enhanced monitoring has resulted in frequent arrests of poaching gangs.
Even last month, two persons were arrested on the charge of using country-made explosives to trap wild boars and the forest personnel seized seven Outtukai explosives from them. Yet, poaching continues unabated in the porous forest ranges in and around Coimbatore city and its suburbs.
In order to avert untoward incidents and tragedies like the death of the jumbo in Kerala, the forest personnel in Coimbatore, have doubled up patrolling besides taking up other preventive measures including weaning away farmers from indulging in these practices.
"Poachers hunting wild animals use the crude country-made explosives, Outtukai. And, it is rampant in Coimbatore district since cultivators too placing them in their farmlands adjoining the forests to ward off wild boars. But, these explosives endanger the lives of not only wild boars but other animals. By eating them mistakenly, the animals, including elephants, are injured in their mouth with profuse bleeding. Incapacitated, they suffer excruciating pain and are unable to eat. Realising this, people should refrain from using these explosives,” said District Forest Officer (DFO) D Venkatesh.
Warning of stringent action against those making and placing Outtukai in the forest fringes, the DFO said two cases have been registered in this connection and the seven crude bombs which were seized have been handed over to the police for further action.
The District Police have identified the areas where the use of Outtukai is rampant and has alerted the local police to step up vigil especially in Periyanaicken Palayam, Mettupalayam, and Sirumugai ranges.
"The local police have been directed to maintain enhanced surveillance and carry out patrolling. We have issued a stern warning to those producing and placing crude bombs in the farmlands and forest fringes,” Superintendent of Police Sujit Kumar said.
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