E-Paper
Karnataka to send eight trained elephants to Andhra to drive away wild tuskers
The Karnataka government has agreed to send eight Kumki elephants along with mahouts to Andhra Pradesh to help it drive away wild elephants that have been wreaking havoc in the forests of Chittoor and also north Andhra districts of Srikakulam and Vizianagaram.
The Karnataka government on Thursday agreed to send eight Kumki elephants (trained captive elephants) along with mahouts to Andhra Pradesh to help it drive away wild elephants that have been wreaking havoc in the forests of Chittoor and also north Andhra districts of Srikakulam and Vizianagaram.
After a meeting with his Karnataka counterpart Eshwar B Khandre, Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister with environment and forests portfolio Pawan Kalyan told reporters at Bengaluru: “We have asked the Karnataka government to send some Kumki elephants to drive away wild elephants in the state, which are creating a big problem in some areas of Chittoor bordering Karnataka and also other parts of the state.”
He thanked the Karnataka government for agreeing to send eight Kumki elephants to resolve the issue.
Parts of Chittoor district bordering Tamil Nadu and Parvathipuram Manyam district near Odisha have witnessed several incidents of the human-elephant conflict. In May, the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department officials placed a request before their counterparts in Karnataka to give them trained Kumki elephants.
During the meeting, the officials also discussed the issue of rampant smuggling of red sanders from Seshachalam forests of Andhra Pradesh.
“Recently, the Karnataka forest department authorities confiscated red sanders worth ₹140 crore being illegally transported from Andhra Pradesh. We have discussed the strategies of preventing this unabated smuggling of red sanders,” Pawan Kalyan said.
He said both the state governments had decided to make use of satellite imagery technology in protection of forest wealth and prevention of smuggling of wood.
Effective surveillance would be made to arrest illegal transportation of sandalwood and red sanders, he said.
Both the ministers have also decided to curtail poaching of wild animals and smuggling of their parts.
“We shall take stringent measures against those indulging in smuggling and poaching of wild animals,” he said.
The Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister also added that both the state governments had decided to adopt a joint comprehensive strategy in the development of eco-tourism.
Earlier, the Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister made a courtesy call of Karnataka chief minister Siddharamaiah and had a brief meeting.
