Coimbatore : The district forest department has announced a ban on cattle grazing inside the forest area, with immediate effect.
Coimbatore : The district forest department has announced a ban on cattle grazing inside the forest area, with immediate effect.
Over the years, Wildlife conservationists have expressed concern over illegal cattle grazing in forests, which end up in intruding into the habitat of wild animals leaving them with insufficient water and food.
They also allege that cattle could spread Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Anthrax among wild animals thereby endangering their existence.
Meanwhile, this move by the forest department to ban cattle rearing has received widespread condemnation from the tribals whose primary livelihood is cattle rearing.
The forest area of Mettupalayam that includes Karamadai, Sirumugai has over 50 thousand hectares of forest land. This forest is inhabited by more than seven generations of tribal people like Irular, Kurumbar, Panicker, Katunayakar who live in more than 50 villages in the forest area.
Though many measures were being taken in the past to relocate these tribals to the nearby villages, they continue to stay in the forest area to preserve their culture. The primary occupation of these tribal community has been cattle rearing. They earn substantial income for their livelihood by selling these cattle at nearby village markets.
Pointing that this decision of the forest department to ban cattle rearing in the forest area will affect their livelihood, the tribal people have requested to lift the ban or provide them with an alternate occupation for their livelihood.
However, the forest officers have reiterated that the cattle herd feeds on plants and grass, thus leaving nil fodder and water for the wild animals. Especially during drought seasons, the wild animals venture into farmlands and residential areas for want of food and water, thus causing wide-spread destruction and even human deaths.
"Though we have constructed artificial tanks and ponds inside the Forest area to quench the thrist of the wild animals and thus prevent them from venturing into human inhabitations, nothing much can be done to increase the green cover or induce fodder growth in the forests. Only monsoon showers can put an end to the prevailing drought conditions. The vegetation will bounce back only with rains", said a forest officer.
Over the years, Wildlife conservationists have expressed concern over illegal cattle grazing in forests, which end up in intruding into the habitat of wild animals leaving them with insufficient water and food.
They also allege that cattle could spread Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Anthrax among wild animals thereby endangering their existence.
Meanwhile, this move by the forest department to ban cattle rearing has received widespread condemnation from the tribals whose primary livelihood is cattle rearing.
The forest area of Mettupalayam that includes Karamadai, Sirumugai has over 50 thousand hectares of forest land. This forest is inhabited by more than seven generations of tribal people like Irular, Kurumbar, Panicker, Katunayakar who live in more than 50 villages in the forest area.
Though many measures were being taken in the past to relocate these tribals to the nearby villages, they continue to stay in the forest area to preserve their culture. The primary occupation of these tribal community has been cattle rearing. They earn substantial income for their livelihood by selling these cattle at nearby village markets.
Pointing that this decision of the forest department to ban cattle rearing in the forest area will affect their livelihood, the tribal people have requested to lift the ban or provide them with an alternate occupation for their livelihood.
However, the forest officers have reiterated that the cattle herd feeds on plants and grass, thus leaving nil fodder and water for the wild animals. Especially during drought seasons, the wild animals venture into farmlands and residential areas for want of food and water, thus causing wide-spread destruction and even human deaths.
"Though we have constructed artificial tanks and ponds inside the Forest area to quench the thrist of the wild animals and thus prevent them from venturing into human inhabitations, nothing much can be done to increase the green cover or induce fodder growth in the forests. Only monsoon showers can put an end to the prevailing drought conditions. The vegetation will bounce back only with rains", said a forest officer.