The Forest Department has increased the number of staff engaged in night patrols in the wake of rise in frequency of wild elephants entering villages bordering forests in Coimbatore district.
According to the Department, villages falling under the four forest ranges — Coimbatore, Boluvampatty, Madukkarai and Periyanaickenpalayam— were witnessing more incidents of elephants entering human habitations.
District Forest Officer N. Jayaraj said that additional staff were being sent to Boundary Night Patrol Teams (BNPT), specialised units dedicated to minimise negative interactions between humans and elephants, to drive out crop-raiding elephants.
