COIMBATORE: Black flags were seen fluttering in houses, shops, autos, jeeps, and public spaces in Gudalur and Pandalur area of Nilgiris on Mondayin a protest against the forest department’s demarcation of residential localities as elephant corridors.

The recently published draft report of the forest department has identified 42 new elephant corridors across Tamil Nadu. The protestors claimed the demarcation would affect around 35,000 families residing in Gudalur and Pandalur taluks. Farmers from Coimbatore recently protested against the forest department’s designation of agricultural lands as elephant corridors.

Explaining the impact of the forest department’s move, the Gudalur AIADMK MLA Pon Jayaseelan said, “People are stressed over the draft report of 161 pages that identifies residential areas and farmlands as elephant corridors. The state government should immediately recall the draft report.”

“The draft report listed areas encompassing farmlands, residences, and temples as elephant corridors. It has been formulated by individuals having a limited understanding of our region’s nuanced topography and ecological dynamics.It is distressing that the draft report has recommended areas that we have been using for generations for agriculture. Our ancestors have cultivated these lands for generations and we have never witnessed any elephant migration in our area,” said Kumar, the chairman of Velliangiri Uzhavan Producers Company Limited.