Minister assures steps to prevent jumbos from straying into villages

Government will not spare any efforts to put an end to the elephants attacking the villages to prevent loss of life and crops, said  Industries Minister N Amaranatha Reddy.

As part of the measures to check elephants straying into villages, trenches will be dug around the forest in Palamaner, Baireddypali and Bangarupalem mandals which are facing the elephant menace, the Minister said.

Trenches will be dug around the forests to keep the elephants away from villages and to protect crops  
 Initially the work will be taken up in 18-km stretch and the trenches will be of 10 feet depth
 Speaking to the media after inaugurating the trench work near Kaluvapalli on the forest fringe in Palamaner mandal on Sunday, the Minister said to begin with 18-km stretch trench which will be 10-feet deep and wide will be dug in the strategic forest area bordering the three mandals where the elephant menace is more.

This apart, the forest department will take up tree plantation and construction of water harvesting structures in a big way under `Vanam-Manam’ programme in the forests so as to improve fodder position and also water availability inside the forests. This is to prevent the elephants straying into human habitation in search of food and water, he explained.

On the recent elephant attack on villages in Chinnagottigallu and Yerravaripalem mandals, he said the forest authorities visited the villages and initiated measures to drive the elephants back into deep forests.

The Minister who earlier participated in series of development initiatives at various places in the mandal claimed that under the TDP government, the rural area in the State is witnessing a massive development works going on which was never so after independence.

He said all the villages in Chittoor district will be covered under LED streetlights by 2019 and added that the much awaited Handri-Niva waters will reach the district after completion of the project by this year end.

Reddy called on the farmers to adopt technology to improve their agriculture income and went on explaining the efforts being taken by the government to promote latest technology in the farm sector TDP MLC G Srinivasulu and others were present.

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