Forest limits around BNP to get railway barricades

BENGALURU: Now that it has tasted some success in tackling human-elephant conflicts by erecting railway barricades in Bandipur and Nagarhole areas, the forest department is extending the project to forest patches next to Bengaluru. About 10km to 15km of forest boundary of Bannerghatta National Park (BNP), prone to breach by elephants, will be fenced with railway barricades by March 2020.This is in addition to 10km of fencing already erected on a pilot basis.
Railway barricade is a fence placed using scraprail to prevent jumbos and other wild animals from entering villages and towns.
Prashanth Shankir Matta, deputy conservator of forest, BNP said four to five elephants in the park routinely raid crops and enter human habitats. “We will put up railway barricades on select patches in all four forest ranges of the park. While the cost will depend on the topography. We may have to spend about Rs 1.2 crore to fence 10km-15km of forest boundary,” he added.
Spread over 260 sq km, BNP has four forest ranges — Harohalli, Bannerghatta, Anekal and Kodihalli. Elephants raiding crops in neighbourhood villages and entering human settlements is common every year. According to Prashanth, wherever barricades have been placed, the results have been positive. “So far, elephants haven’t breached any of the barricades erected,” he added.
Bengaluru forest circle is considered a high risk zone in terms of man-animal conflicts. In the last two years, around 15 people have died in the circle which also comprises Bannerghatta and Ramanagara divisions.
Though the forest department started the barricading project a few years ago, the same hit a hurdle owing to shortage of funds.