Allow rearing, grazing of domestic cattle inside reserve forests and sanctuaries, demand farmers

Petition submitted to Tamil Nadu government urging permission for cattle grazing in reserve forests, sparking debate among conservationists.

Urging the Tamil Nadu government to allow rearing and grazing of domestic cattle inside reserve forests and sanctuaries, a petition was submitted to Collector K.P. Karthikeyan on Monday.

In a recent statement, the Kalakkad – Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) authorities banned rearing and grazing of cattle inside the sanctuary from January 20 onwards, and also warned that if the practice continued, the cattle would be impounded and cases registered against the owners. “Hence, those who are rearing cattle within the sanctuary should take the domestic animals outside the KMTR boundary before January 20,” the statement said.

Protesting the direction, Velmurugan of Vellankuzhi near Cheranmahadevi submitted a petition to Mr. Karthikeyan on Monday during the weekly grievance redress meeting. He said the Tamil Nadu government formed a committee to study the man – animal conflict and give its recommendations to check invasion of wild boars into agricultural fields as they caused extensive crop loss. However, these recommendations had been wrongly interpreted and the rearing and grazing of domestic cattle inside the reserve forests was banned. Consequently, milk and meat production, which were giving significant revenue to the farmers, would be badly affected.

“It will also affect the basic rights of farmers living close to the reserve forests. Hence, the government should amend its recent order and permit the village panchayats to hunt down the wild boars that damaged standing crops,” he said.

However, the conservationists support the KMTR’s decision, saying the drastic depletion in grasslands caused by the domestic cattle inside the reserve forests was the very reason why the wild animals raided agricultural fields. The entry of domestic animals into the forest for fodder is also contributing to grazing land depletion. Communicable diseases from thedomestic animals, like foot-and-mouth disease, would also spread to the wild animals and cause an outbreak inside the jungle and wipe out of a particular species of vegetation and cause environmental imbalance. Since the presence of domestic animals inside the forest would attract predators like tiger and leopard, it would lead to man – animal conflict also.

“Considering these facts, the ban should be enforced permanently,” said Albert Rajendran, formerly Professor, Department of Zoology, St. John’s College, Palayamkottai and honorary wildlife warden of KMTR.

Panchayat ward member R. Chairman Raja of Maruthampuththur near Alangulam in Tenkasi district submitted a petition seeking sinking of an infiltration well exclusively for the local body. He said the panchayat with around 3,500 families, was getting 1.60 lakh litres of water from Sankarankoil Combined Drinking Water Scheme since 1994 and another 1 lakh litres of water from the Vasudevanallur scheme. Since both the schemes were 30 years old, the quantity being supplied was insufficient for the present needs.