A three-tier security fence is what the Coimbatore Division of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department has come up with to keep straying wild elephants away from the Elephant Rejuvenation camp for temple and mutt elephants at Thekkampatti.

It may be noted that a wild tusker ventured into the elephant camp on the first day in 2016 at the same premises, by making its way through the fence.

In order to avoid such incidents, which could be harmful to the temple elephants and the mahouts, the Forest Department has set up a specially made three-tier fencing system.

The department had surrounded the five-acre land with a hanging fence powered by solar energy. According to officials from the department, the fences have proved largely effective in the Mettupalayam range in keeping wild elephants away.

The secondary layer is made up of a traditional steel fence powered by a battery and the third layer is made up of a steel fence which also has a thin electric line wired to it in certain areas.

“The fence also has flickering lights and reflective stickers that will keep elephants away. Powerful lights are also used,” said District Forest Officer S. Ramasubramaniam.

In addition, 60 field staff, including 15 Anti-Poaching Watchers (APW), 15 uniformed staff and 30 temporary staff, have been deployed in the campus to chase away wild elephants.

Three jeeps including one in the camp, one in the nearby villages and one in the Reserve Forest boundary have also been installed to keep a vigil.

“We have also erected two more watch towers in addition to the previous four watch towers to keep a close eye,” said the DFO. He added that migration of wild elephants would not be affected as the camp occupied only a small piece of land.

However, activists complained that it would invite more elephant visits in the future as it falls in an important elephant corridor. Notably, villagers of Thekkampatti protested against the camp last year as it drew wild elephants to the village.