Kaniyanapura Elephant Corridor Demarcation Soon: Minister

Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Ramalinga Reddy presides over a meeting with forest officials at the Bandipur Tiger Reserve Forest office in Melkamanahalli in Chamarajanagar district on Friday. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

Demarcation of the notified Kaniyanapura elephant corridor and installation of barricades along it to prevent human-animal conflict were among the key issues discussed at a meeting chaired by Minister for Forests, Environment and Environment Ramalinga Reddy with forest officials at Bandipur Tiger Reserve Forest office, Melkamanahalli, near Safari point on Friday.

A corridor will be built for the comfortable movement of elephants and measures will be taken to prevent elephants from entering farmers’ land, the minister said.

While discussing the declaration of Male Mahadeshwara Hills as a tiger reserve forest, the minister said that the proposal was submitted to the State Wildlife Conservation Board. However, the government will consider opposition and public concerns about its declaration as tiger reserves. Although there is no major difference between the wildlife sanctuary and the Reserve Forest, the government will take the decision in the interest of the farmers, he said.

The CSR fund will be used to purchase drone cameras and necessary equipment for installation in four forest divisions of Chamrajanagara district.

Measures to reduce the threat of Lantana

Lantana plants, which were spread over 38% of the Bandipur forest area, were removed manually, which required considerable manpower. If the invasive plant is not immediately controlled, it could adversely affect the growth of natural vegetation in the forest. Modern equipment will be deployed in Bandipur as suggested by Forest Minister Ramalinga Reddy during a discussion with forest officials.

Clean scrub around bodies of water

Lakes, reservoirs and other bodies of water located on the edge of the forest area and surrounded by bushes have become hideouts for tigers and leopards, increasing the risk of human-animal conflict. To facilitate scrub clearance around these water bodies with the involvement of gram panchayats, letters will be to the Deputy Commissioner and MLAs, the minister said.

Responding to a media query on the reported increase in the number of family members in the Bandipur forest area and ecologically sensitive zone, Mr. Ramalinga Reddy said permission was given only to those who complied with the prescribed rules and regulations. Notices were delivered to illegal homestay operators. In some cases, operators have obtained a judicial stay and legal action would be taken to deal with such cases.

There would be no permit for illegal resorts or homestays. A monitoring committee and divisional commissioner were overseeing the matter, he said.

AI technology to track 190 tigers and 1200 elephants

There are reportedly 190 tigers and more than 1,200 elephants in the Bandipur forest area. Artificial intelligence (AI) cameras have been installed to monitor wildlife within a 10 km radius.

GSM-based cameras are also used for surveillance. Whenever wild animals, including elephants, enter villages, alerts are immediately sent to the command center which enables them to warn the villagers and take precautionary measures, said Nandeesh, Deputy Conservator of Forests and also Director of Bandipur Tiger Reserve, in a review meeting chaired by Mr. Ramalinga Reddy.

No fires have been reported in the Bandipur forest area in the last three years, thanks to the efforts of the forest personnel, the official said.

Published – 06 Nov 2026 21:18 IST