On Friday, September 12, 2025, the Madras High Court lifted its previous order and gave the green light to the forest department to proceed with its pilot project. The project involves the construction of a steel wire rope fence spanning 10 km in the forests of Coimbatore district, aimed at mitigating Human-Elephant Conflicts (HEC).
The decision was made by a special Division Bench comprising Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy. The justices arrived at this decision after personally inspecting the entire stretch and considering the perspectives of all involved parties. These included amici curiae T. Mohan, Chevanan Mohan, Rahul Balaji, and M. Santhanaraman.
The interim order had been issued in response to a petition by activist S. Muralidharan, who had raised concerns about the potential harm the fence could cause to elephants. The proposed fence would stretch from Thondamuthur in Boluvampatti Forest Range to Thadagam in Coimbatore Forest Range, costing approximately ₹5 crore.
However, after engaging with local farmers who expressed serious concerns about frequent crop damage caused by elephants and the loss of human lives due to encounters with these animals, the judges were persuaded that the project should be allowed to proceed.
The Bench noted that the forest department had conducted extensive research before deciding on the steel wire rope fence. They concluded that this was the best option compared to alternatives such as an eight-foot-tall V-shaped tower fence, which would significantly increase costs.
The judges acknowledged that the forest department had allocated sufficient space around the proposed fence for elephants to move and follow their traditional paths without wandering into human settlements. They also noted that a similar fence in the Hosur forest range had proven effective.
After viewing videos demonstrating how elephants approach the steel wire rope fence and then retreat without injury, the judges concluded that the fence would benefit both the reserve forests and the animals, as well as the farmers, their crops, and human lives.
However, the judges also issued a warning, stating that the fence in Thondamuthur is only a pilot project and will be continuously monitored by the court to assess its effectiveness. They added that they would issue appropriate directives if the elephants suffer any harm.
The court has instructed the forest department to submit a proposal for a bio-fencing project, which will be considered as an alternative if the steel wire rope fence proves unsuccessful.
