A team of amici curiae, legal experts assisting the Madras High Court in forest-related cases, has expressed concerns over the Tamil Nadu Government’s plan to construct a 10 km steel wire rope fence at Thondamuthur in the Coimbatore district. The proposed fence is intended to mitigate Human-Elephant Conflicts (HEC).
The objections were raised in response to a request from a special Division Bench of Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy. The Justices had sought the opinion of amici curiae T. Mohan, Chevanan Mohan, Rahul Balaji, and M. Santhanaraman on a counter affidavit submitted by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra.
The counter affidavit was filed in response to a case initiated by activist S. Muralidharan. On June 20, 2025, the PCCF-cum-CWC informed the court that the Forest Department had initially planned to erect a 30 km steel wire rope fence in the Coimbatore forest division. However, due to financial constraints, approval was granted only for a 10 km stretch.
The Coimbatore forest division, which spans 693.48 sq km and shares a 350 km boundary with human settlements, is particularly susceptible to HEC. Over the past three years, elephants have strayed from this division 9,710 times, resulting in 147 deaths between 2011 and 2022. The government has compensated the families of the deceased with a total of ₹11.35 crore. Traditional methods such as digging elephant-proof trenches and installing solar fences have proven ineffective against the elephants, which frequently raid crops and break into houses.
As a result, the government decided to pilot an elephant-proof steel wire rope fence in Thondamuthur. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced the decision on November 6, 2024, and a Government Order allocating ₹5 crore was issued on February 4, 2025.
In their response to the PCCF-cum-CWC’s counter affidavit, the amici curiae highlighted that the proposed fence location marks a sudden transition from forest to private lands. They noted that the terrain is sloping and lacks a buffer zone for elephants to navigate. They argued that the steep slopes and the fence would trap the elephants, forcing them to either navigate around the hills or attempt to break through the fence, both of which could increase mortality rates.
The amici curiae also warned that the 10 km fence could prevent elephants from accessing forests on the other side, potentially exacerbating conflict. They argued that completely closing off forests might temporarily alleviate local problems but could shift the conflict elsewhere. They concluded by recommending a scientific study to assess the potential impacts of the proposed fence.
