Amici Curiae object to erection of steel wire rope fencing in Thondamuthur to prevent human-elephant conflicts

A team of amici curiae assisting the Madras High Court in forest related cases has raised objections to the Tamil Nadu Government’s proposed move to erect a steel wire rope fencing for a distance of 10 km at Thondamuthur in Coimbatore district to prevent Human-Elephant Conflicts (HEC).

A special Division Bench of Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy had called for the response of the amici curiae T. Mohan, Chevanan Mohan, Rahul Balaji and M. Santhanaraman to a counter affidavit filed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests-cum-Chief Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra.

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Responding to a case filed by activist S. Muralidharan, the PCCF-cum-CWC had on June 20, 2025 told the court the Forest Department had initially proposed to erect steel wire rope fence in Coimbatore forest division for a distance of 30 km but financial sanction was accorded only for 10 km.

“Coimbatore forest division was spread over 693.48 sqkm and shared a boundary with habitations for a length of about 350 km where it was vulnerable to HEC. Elephants had strayed out 9,710 times in this division in the past three years and 147 deaths had occurred during 2011-2022,” the officer said.

The government had to pay a compensation of ₹11.35 crore to the families of the dead. He added traditional methods of digging elephant proof trenches and erecting solar fences had proved to be ineffective with the pachyderms that indulge in crop raiding and house breaking.

“Hence, it was decided that elephant proof steel wire rope fencing could be done on a pilot basis in Thondamuthur. Accordingly, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin made the announcement on November 6, 2024 and a Government Order sanctioning ₹5 crore was issued on February 4, 2025,” he said.

Amici curiae’s report

Filing their response to the PCCF-cum-CWC’s counter affidavit, the amici curiae told the court the area where the steel wire rope fencing had been proposed marks an abrupt shift from forest to private lands. They said, the terrain was slopy and there was no buffer zone for elephants to navigate.

“The steep slopes and the fence together will lock the area with no other solution for the elephants but to either circumnavigate the hills or try to force themselves through the fence. In both cases, the risk of mortality will be increased,” the amici curiae said by relying upon certain studies undertaken in the area.

“As the fence covers 10 km, elephants coming into the private from the adjacent forests will be prevented from accessing the forests on the other side and it may lead to more conflict. Closing off forests completely will solve problems locally but shift the conflict elsewhere,” they added.

The lawyers also said: “A scientific study must be undertaken to understand the impacts before fencing... The Forest Department is in the process of notifying elephant corridors across Tamil Nadu. Until the corridors in Coimbatore region are consolidated and notified, the fencing may be held off.”

After taking the report of the amici curiae on file, the judges adjourned the hearing to July 25, 2025 and ordered maintenance of status quo till then.