PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Haridwar
The Forest department has formulated a comprehensive action plan to prevent the intrusion of elephants and other wildlife into the Kumbh Mela areas as well as the populated areas. A trench approximately nine km long and three meters wide will be constructed from Bairagi Camp to Kundi. Fencing will then be installed along the trench to completely prevent elephants from straying into populated areas.
Speaking of this move, the forest range officer, Shishpal stated that this work is being carried out at a cost of approximately Rs 2.32 crore in view of the Kumbh Mela. “Once the trench and fencing are complete, it is expected that elephants will be effectively stopped from moving into the inhabited areas. This will strengthen the safety of the people living in the Kumbh Mela area as well as the devotees,” he added.
The executive engineer of the irrigation department’s Tehri rehabilitation division, Anubhav Nautiyal said that trench construction work would begin as soon as the monsoon season ends and the target is to complete it by the end of December, adding that the tender process for the work has been completed.
“The construction work will be monitored by the forest department, Haridwar. The department is striving to provide permanent relief to areas known for elephant movement by completing the trench and fencing within the stipulated time-frame,” he added.
However, observers point out that the forest department has already spent rupees to the tune of crores to prevent the movement of elephants and other wildlife in the Kumbh Mela areas. Notably, an elephant protection wall was constructed in the area at a cost of approximately Rs 2.5 crore. Fencing was carried out too at a cost of approximately Rs 95 lakh. “However, due to a lack of timely repairs and maintenance, both projects are now almost completely useless, meaning wastage of public funds,” an observer commented. .
Queried over the matter, the DFO, Haridwar, Swapnil Anirudh stated that this time, special attention would be paid to quality in the proposed work. “The department will strive to ensure that the security wall and fencing remain effective for a long time,” he added.
