Tamil Nadu commits ₹180 crore to curb human-wildlife conflict across 100 villages

Tamil Nadu has approved a ₹180-crore outlay over the next five years to roll out a comprehensive scheme aimed at curbing human-wildlife conflict across vulnerable settlements near forest corridors.

The initiative, spanning the financial years 2026–27 through 2030–31, focuses on 100 conflict-prone villages across 11 districts in the Western Ghats region. An initial ₹20 crore has been sanctioned for the current financial year under a government order, with ₹40 crore to be allocated annually over the following four years following a detailed proposal by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden.

What the ₹180-crore scheme covers

The funding targets districts bordering major forest zones, specifically Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Erode, Krishnagiri, the Nilgiris, Salem, Theni, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Tiruppur.

Announced by Minister for Finance, Planning and Development N. Marie Wilson during the budget presentation, the strategy combines physical infrastructure with technology to protect agricultural communities without disrupting wildlife corridors.

Technology and community-led response

A major portion of the allocation will fund hanging solar fences and steel wire rope barriers along sensitive forest boundaries, replacing older barriers that animals frequently breached. Forest teams will receive GPS-enabled vehicles dedicated to rapid response, while night patrolling and surveillance will be expanded.

Coexistence measures rely heavily on local participation. The forest department has established 95 Anti-Depredation Committees to manage early-warning networks that transmit real-time SMS alerts to villagers when wild herds approach farmland.

These teams build upon modern wildlife management practices introduced in recent years, including artificial intelligence surveillance cameras, radio-collaring of herd leaders, geo-referenced monitoring, trip-wire sensors, and elephant-proof trenches backed by habitat interventions like fodder planting and forest water augmentation.

Precautionary alerts across the state

The conservation push comes alongside widespread administrative preparedness across Tamil Nadu as the India Meteorological Department issued yellow alerts for heavy rainfall.

District administrations ordered temporary school closures across Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, and Ranipet as forecasters warned of sustained wet weather and gusty winds reaching up to 60 km/h. Civic agencies have mobilised local teams to clear drainage networks and monitor low-lying pockets, ensuring public safety measures remain fully operational.