With wild elephant menace on the rise, the Kannur district panchayat has directed forest-bordering grama panchayats to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) with the support of the Forest Department for installation of solar hanging fences as an immediate solution to the problem.
District panchayat president P.P. Divya said the heads of grama panchayats should meet by October 15 and submit the DPR by October 20.
She issued the directive at a meeting of presidents of local bodies that share a forest boundary and Forest Department officials to discuss wild elephant menace.
Most participants were of the view that hanging fence was effective as an emergency measure to prevent the entry of wild elephants. It is relatively less expensive than elephant wall and could be set up quickly, they said.
Meanwhile, the district panchayat, Irikkur block panchayat, and Payyavur grama panchayat have begun work for the installation of hanging fence for a distance of 6 km in forest boundary areas.
It was also decided to clear uncultivated and uninhabited lands in the Aralam farm after discussions with the District Collector. Forest officials said many of the plots allotted to families in the farm were lying fallow, and that they were being used by wild elephants as a cover to stay after venturing out of the forest.
