Long march to restoring Sigur elephant corridor reaches crucial milestone; Madras HC to hear petition on demolition of 35 tourism resorts
- September 27, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Long march to restoring Sigur elephant corridor reaches crucial milestone; Madras HC to hear petition on demolition of 35 tourism resorts
Sub: Env
Sec: Protected Area
Context:
- A petition challenging the Supreme Court-approved demolition of 35 tourism resorts has reached Madras High Court.
- The Supreme Court appointed the Sigur Plateau Elephant Inquiry Committee.
- The committee, led by Justice K Venkatraman, ordered the demolition of resorts in the corridor.
- “Operation Sigur” is being prepared by the district administration to implement the demolition orders.
Sigur elephant corridor:
- The Sigur Elephant Corridor connects the Western Ghats with the Eastern Ghats.
- It’s crucial for the movement of about 6,300 Asian elephants across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka.
- The corridor is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, spanning 5,000 square kilometres.
Significance of the Corridor:
- Elephants from Nilambur and Wayanad forests in Kerala, Bandipur and Nagarhole forest reserves in Karnataka and Mudumalai and Sathyamangalam forests in Tamil Nadu use the Sigur plateau because it is the only flat route available for large herds between the steep slopes of Nilgiris and the Moyar gorge.
- Elephants prefer gentle, undulating slopes to travel between habitats.
- Also used by other animals, including tigers and critically endangered vulture species.
- It is a natural habitat for the largest population of three critically endangered species of vultures in southern India.
- Essential for maintaining ecological balance and preventing habitat fragmentation.
- The Wildlife Trust of India, with support from Project Elephant under the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, had identified four corridors in the Segur Plateau:
- Avarahalla – Sigur,
- Kalhatti – Sigur,
- Moyar – Avarahalla, and
- Kalmalai – Singara-Avarahalla.
- These four corridors were later consolidated into a single entity called the Sigur Elephant Corridor.
Tourism vs. Environment:
- Illegal resorts have:
- Built structures near reserve forests and elephant-used streams.
- Obstructed elephant movement with electric fences.
- The committee warns that failing to preserve migratory corridors could lead to elephant extinction.
- Resort owners argue some parts aren’t actual elephant habitats, but the committee disagrees.
- Human presence increased since the development of Moyar Hydroelectric and Pykara powerhouses at Singara.
Scientific Evidence:
- Various methods, including landscape genetics, confirm the area’s importance for animal migration.
- Elephants prefer gentle, undulating slopes for travel.