Raiding elephants, bears give officials food for thought – to fortify ration shops

Wild elephants and sloth bears raiding fair price shops prompt officials to implement three-layer security in Nilgiris.

Wild elephants and sloth bears raiding fair price shops in the Nilgiris have given officials of the Food and Civil Supplies Department food for thought. Much like the rice-loving Arikomban, who frequented ration shops and created havoc in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, these animals have been shoplifting, forcing the authorities to improvise a three-layer security to keep the granaries and godowns safe.

Joint Registrar of the Cooperative Societies (Nilgiris district), R. Dhayalan, said that in the past few years, fair price shops across the Nilgiris, especially in parts of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), have been damaged by elephants looking for rice and other edibles.

“At the fair price shop in Masinagudi, there have been three break-ins in the last few years, putting people and local wildlife at risk,” said Mr. Dhayalan. The shop in Masinagudi, managed by the Nilgiris Cooperative Enterprises, has been remodelled with a three-tier security system, designed to deter elephants from raiding it.

Apart from a hanging electric fence, the shop has stairs surrounded by a steel fence that can be closed after working hours. Officials hope that this will prevent elephants from gaining access to the store’s entrance, which has a reinforced rolling shutter. The shop has a warning sign to ensure that locals do not accidentally get electrocuted, officials added.

There are plans to remodel the fair price shop in Vazhaithottam in the MTR buffer zone, as well as a few shops located near forested areas in the Nilgiris forest division.

Sloth bears break into shops in Sholada, Halakkarai and Emerald. Mr. Dhayalan said new rolling shutters would suffice for shops that have had negative interactions with bears.

Forest Department officials welcomed the move, saying much of the wildlife that become habituated to humans and have negative interactions with local communities are drawn to populated areas due easy availability of food.