Forest Department to implement human-wildlife conflict mitigation scheme in 11 villages in Coimbatore district

Areca nut trees damaged by wild elephants at Narasipuram in Coimbatore district recently. Narasipuram was identified as a place particularly affected by crop damages. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRAGEMENT A total of 11 villages under the jurisdiction of the Coimbatore Forest Division have been chosen by the Forest Department to implement its Comprehensive Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Scheme announced by the Tamil Nadu government in the 2026-27 Budget.The places selected for the implementation of the scheme are Irumborai, Odanthurai, Nellithurai, Tholampalayam, Naickenpalayam, Veerapandi, Thadagam, Pannimadai, Narasipuram, Karamadai and Athimathayanur.Across the State, the scheme will be implemented in 100 conflict-prone villages at an outlay of ₹180 crore for five years. The government will spend ₹19 crore for these places in the current financial year.District Forest Officer N. Vengatesh Prabhu told The Hindu that the places were selected after analysing the compensation that had been paid by the government to people for loss of lives, injuries, damages to properties and crops in the Division. The 11 villages topped the list, he said.All the 11 villages were identified as “high human-animal conflict area”. Nellithurai and Thadagam were marked as “places with high elephant movement” additionally. Narasipuram was identified as a place “particularly affected by crop damages”.Mr. Prabhu said the Division will get an allocation of ₹1.2 crore this year to implement the scheme, which will cover baseline survey of the areas, implementation of early warning systems, creation of new elephant-proof trenches and maintenance of old ones, hanging solar fences and community awareness and education programmes.As per the announcement made during the Budget, the scheme will be implemented 100 conflict-prone villages in Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Erode, Krishnagiri, the Nilgiris, Salem, Theni, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Tiruppur districts. Published - November 13, 2026 09:24 pm IST