A recent judgement by the Supreme Court (SC) upheld the 2011 decision of the Madras High Court (HC) to affirm the Nilgiris elephant corridor’s right of passage, leading to the closure of resorts in the area.
The 2011 Madras HC Judgement
The Madras HC in 2011 validated the notification of the Tamil Nadu government that declared an ‘Elephant Corridor’ in the Sigur Plateau of Nilgiris District. The court stated that the government had full authority under the Project Elephant of the Union government and Article 51 A(g) of the Constitution to declare the elephant corridor.
Moreover, it ordered resort owners and other private landowners in the notified elephant corridor to evacuate the property.
Significant Points of the SC Judgement
The SC judgement emphasized the state’s responsibility to safeguard elephants as a “keystone species” due to their substantial environmental impact. The court highlighted the importance of elephant corridors for allowing elephants to survive despite decreasing forest cover. It also sanction the establishment of a committee headed by a retired HC judge intended to address individual objections from resort owners and private landowners within the corridor.
Nilgiris Elephant Corridor Overview
The Nilgiris elephant corridor is located in the ecologically sensitive Sigur plateau, linking the Western and Eastern Ghats and maintaining elephant populations and their genetic diversity. Approximately 100 elephant corridors exist in India, with 70% in use regularly. Most lie in the southern, central and northeastern forests. An estimated 6,500 elephants dwell in the Brahmagiri-Nilgiris-Eastern Ghats ranges alone.
Challenges facing Elephant Corridors
A significant study called ‘Right of Passage’, published by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in 2017, documented 101 elephant corridors across India and identified several challenges. Shrinkage of passage widths due to human encroachment and intercepted corridors by transport infrastructure are major concerns. Land-use changes, including increased agricultural activity and reduction of forest cover, also play a role.
About Asian Elephants
Asian elephants comprise three subspecies: Indian, Sumatran and Sri Lankan, with the Indian occupying the broadest range. Threats to these creatures include poaching, habitat loss, human-elephant conflicts and mistreatment in captivity. The IUCN Red List terms Asian elephants “endangered” and African elephants “vulnerable”.
Conservation Efforts for Elephants
The Indian government launched Project Elephant in 1992, which includes a five-yearly elephant census. Other initiatives include the establishment of elephant reserves, the recognition of World Elephant Day, and awareness campaigns like ‘Gaj Yatra’. The Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) programme tracks illegal elephant killings trends across Africa and Asia, evaluating field conservation efforts’ effectiveness.
The Way Forward
This judgement paves the way for more robust laws protecting elephant corridors throughout India. Immediate steps should be taken to remove illegal structures in these pathways. While elephant corridors are not fully protected areas, the need for their preservation is urgent. This necessitates political will and local community involvement in conservation efforts.