Coimbatore : Forest department was taking all steps to prevent wild elephants from straying into human habitats, Tamil Nadu Forest Minister Dindigul Srinivasan said on Friday.

On the elephant menace in the Western Ghats area, Srinivasan told reporters on the sidelines of a forest sports meet here these wild elephants were moving forward avoiding the kumkis (tamed elephants) meant to drive away them into jungles.

Even forest department officials were not able to understand “this trick by wild elephants”, he said. Efforts would be taken to prevent the straying of elephants into human habitats, he said and it was possible by diverting the route of animals.

To prevent smuggling of red sanders and sandalwood, the Government had adopted online sanction for cutting and selling of these trees.

It was considering promoting anti-poaching warders on seniority basis, he said, adding that plans were there to increase the solatium to those killed by elephants to Rs 10 lakh.

Srinivasan also appealed the farmers in Chinna Thadagam on the outskirts to wait for another month so that a solution could be found for the elephant menace.