Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, August 18: The Centre has not sanctioned a single penny for the five-year elephant corridor scheme launched in 2012, stated Minister of Forest and Environment Bikram Keshari Arukh in the Assembly Tuesday.
Replying to a question of Naba Kishore Das (Cong), Arukh said development of 14 elephant corridors is being done through 16 forest divisions in the state for five years from 2012.
The government has sanctioned `15 crore at the rate of `5 crore for each year during the last three years for the development of elephant corridors.
During the current financial year also `5 crore has been allocated in the budget for the purpose. The Union government, Arukh said, has not given any fund for the development of elephant corridors. The five-year scheme for the development of elephant corridor would end in 2016-17.
Under the five-year scheme, steps were being taken to make a survey, put pillar on the corridor border, plant trees on the open space on government and forest land for elephants, construct watch towers to monitor the movement of elephants, digging of reservoirs and revival of water bodies and to provide alternative source of income to villagers residing close to the corridor for the protection of forests.
Provisions are also being made to construct stone walls, dig trenches and solar powered wire boundaries for the protection of life and property of the villagers. An elephant squad had been formed to monitor the movement of elephants, the Minister said adding a Management Action Plan would be prepared for the regular management of the identified elephant corridors.