Forest department personnel have installed two ‘early warning systems’ close to two settlements in the Anthiyur forest range to track movement of tuskers and to alert the people living there when the animals were nearing their localities. The systems have been installed on a trial basis at Rs. 2.2 lakh with funds attracted under the Asian Elephant Project. It was installed on Thursday and Friday.

Department sources said that the system that has already been installed in a few pockets in Sathyamangalam range has now been introduced in Anthiyur range to put an end to man-animal conflict and the loss of life and property. “The system has two laser cameras that are installed on either side of the path through which elephants could reach the village, speakers and BSNL SIM cards distributed to different stake holders,” an officials said.

He said that a censor connected to the cameras will send an sms alert to the mobile numbers of the District Forest Officer, Forester, Ranger, Forest Guard and to a member of the Village Forest Committee which have been registered with the censor.

“Anyone of them can give a blank call to a BSNL number given to them that is connected to the speaker near the village that is about a kilometre away from the place where the laser cameras have been installed, which will make repeated announcements of the movement of elephants in that locality to help people ready to guard themselves or move to a safer place, in a timely manner,” the official said.

“The system functions with electricity supply. Steps are underway to make it function with rechargeable batteries so that it will function throughout the day even when there is a power cut,” he added.

Department officials said that the system had been installed at Kakaayanur and Anthani and would soon be installed in close to 20 other settlements in the forest areas and in the villages located on the border of the Anthiyur range from Chani Santhai (Chennampatti range) to Karumpaarai (TN range).