Coimbatore: Farmers of the Kalimangalam village near Alandurai have petitioned the forest department against the proposed construction of a multi-storeyed building belonging to the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) close to the reserve forest there.
Coimbatore: Farmers of the Kalimangalam village near Alandurai have petitioned the forest department against the proposed construction of a multi-storeyed building belonging to the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) close to the reserve forest there.
The TNHB men have been cleaning a patta land very close to the Madukkarai Range Reserve Forest recently to make way for constructions. This is the second spot in the range selected by TNHB to host their building as a similar construction was completed very close to the Rajakesara Peruvazhi at Kovaipudhur.
However, the idea did not receive good appreciation from public who felt that it would lead to further Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC).
“This is an important forest patch used by elephants, leopards, bears and deers and if the construction comes up, it would block the way for migrating elephants resulting in HEC,” the people have said in a petition to the forest department.
They have stated that since elephants use the area largely, it would be dangerous for people to move around in later hours or even during evening.
“Since more than 2000 people could be shifted here, the water bodies would be polluted making it difficult for the animals. The environment here would also be polluted because of the mass shifting of people to this area,” the petition said.
The villagers have requested the forest department to not give permission for the construction.