Justice N. Sathish Kumar and Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy, judges of the Madras High Court, conducted an on-site inspection of the proposed steel wire rope fencing in the Coimbatore Forest Division, intended to prevent human-elephant conflicts, on Friday.
The pilot project is currently subject to an ongoing legal challenge by animal welfare activists citing concerns over elephant safety.
The inspections included stretches in Mettupalayam, Kallar, and surrounding areas. The judges were accompanied by District Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar, senior Forest Department officials, and amici curiae. Farmers briefed the team on the damage caused to crops by elephant incursions and highlighted the necessity of protective fencing.
The judges are scheduled to hold further discussions with government officials before returning to Chennai.
Published – September 05, 2025 07:44 pm IST
