Login With Google
Elephant Corridor
Why is it in News?
- The Supreme Court appointed conservationist Nandita Hazarika as Member of a Technical Committee constituted by it.
Details:
- Committee was to hear complaints by land owners against the action taken by the Nilgris Collector.
- Collector actions included sealing of their buildings and allegations about the “arbitrary variance in acreage of the elephant corridor.
- SC judgement:
(1) It upheld Tamil Nadu government's authority to notify an ‘elephant corridor’ and protect the migratory path of the animals through the Nilgiri biosphere reserve.
(2) It was the State’s duty to protect a “keystone species” such as elephants, immensely important to the environment.
- Nilgiri biosphere reserve and corridor:
(1) The reserve is the largest protected forest area in India, spanning across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala
(2) The corridor is situated in the ecologically fragile Sigur plateau.
(3) It connects the Western and the Eastern Ghats and sustains elephant populations and their genetic diversity.
(4) It has the Nilgiri Hills on its southwestern side and the Moyar River Valley on its north-eastern side.
(5) The elephants cross the plateau in search of food and water.