The ETF will monitor elephant movements, alert Panchayat Secretaries, and work with police and forest teams to manage crowds and prevent retaliatory action.
Nellore:Authorities have formed an Elephant Task Force (ETF) to address rising human-elephant conflict in Tirupati district, following a series of incidents including a recent fatal attack in Kothapalli village on April 25.
The decision was taken during a virtual coordination meeting chaired by District Collector Dr S. Venkateswar and attended by officials from the Forest, Revenue, Electricity, and Panchayat departments. Control rooms will be set up at the Collectorate, SP Office, and District Forest Officer’s office for coordinated response.
District Forest Officer P. Vivek said 30 villages in Chinagottigallu mandal were identified as high-conflict zones. The ETF will monitor elephant movements, alert Panchayat Secretaries, and work with police and forest teams to manage crowds and prevent retaliatory action.
Officials have ordered the removal of illegal electric fencing, raising of low-hanging electric wires, and clearing of forest trenches under MGNREGS. The Railways will also be approached to reduce train speeds in elephant corridors, particularly near Mamandur, during night hours.
Chandragiri MLA Pulivarthi Venkata Mani Prasad, who joined the meeting, suggested deploying trained trackers and ensuring swift compensation for affected farmers. The Collector instructed officials to clear all pending claims—amounting to nearly ₹40 lakh—immediately.
WhatsApp groups between RDOs and field officials will be formed for real-time coordination, and APSPDCL was directed to work closely with the Forest Department to address electricity-related hazards.
