Jayalalithaa announces teams to tackle human-wildlife conflict in TN

Chennai, Aug 27: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today announced setting up of five Rapid Reaction Teams at an estimated cost of Rs 8.64 crore to tackle situations arising out of human-wildlife conflict in the state.

She also announced allocation of Rs 10 crore for the current year for a scheme of growing sandalwood trees in reserve forests and patta lands in five districts to provide job opportunities and to ensure additional livelihood security for tribals.

Making a suo motu statement in the Assembly today, Jayalalithaa said incidents of human-wildlife conflict continued to occur in many parts of the state.

"During such conflict situations, for quick action it becomes necessary to set up a team and such a team would comprise of specially trained personnel with modern gadgets," she said.

"The Rapid Reaction Teams would manage ticklish situations and act swiftly." In Tamil Nadu, human-wildlife conflicts occur due to carnivores, wild bulls, pigs and bears, she said.

During 2015-16, at an estimated cost of Rs 8.64 crore, five Rapid Reaction Teams would be set up in Coimbatore, Krishnagiri, Oooty, Gudalur and Tirunelveli, she said. The National Tiger Conservation Authority has taken up the task of setting up swift response teams in regions around the tiger reserves to tackle carnivores, she said.

"A scheme of growing sandalwood trees will be implemented in patta lands and reserve forests in proximity to areas where sandalwood grow in abundance in Vellore, Salem, Erode, Dharmapuri and Tiruchirappalli Districts," she said.

"This scheme would give job opportunity for tribals and create additional livelihood security and yield revenue for the government by nurturing the sandalwood resource," she said, adding, the initiative would also halt migration of tribals to other states in search of jobs.

"The scheme would entail an expenditure of Rs 10 crore per annum and Rs 100 crore for ten years and I am happy to announce that during the current year Rs 10 crore would be allocated for the scheme," she said.

PTI