Forest officials to check illegal goldmining in Pandalur range (Tamil Nadu) Shantha Thiagarajan, Times of India October 11, 2021 See link <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/tamil-nadu-forest-officials-to-check-illegal-goldmining-in-pandalur-range/articleshow/86928196.cms> for photo. Illegal gold mining in the Goldmines RL (reserve land) falling under the Pandalur range of forest in the Gudalur division has been claiming the lives of wild animals of the area. On Saturday, a six-monthold carcass of a tusker was found during a routine patrolling by forest field staff in a 30-foot pit in the Goldmines RL area. However, both the tusks were intact. A few days ago, a month old elephant calf was rescued from a gold mining pit in the same RL area. The calf was, later, reunited with its nursing herd. A preliminary report of the postmortem suggested that the carcass of the elephant was around six months old and the animal was around 10-12 years old. The elephant fell into the pit while on its move, according to Prasad Ganesan, forest range officer. He said, “In this connection, we have registered a case under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, citing reasons as illegal mining and hunting. An investigation is underway.” According to the official, people from nearby villages such as Devala, Pandalur and Nadugani allegedly indulge in illegal gold mining in the RL area. It is also alleged that people from the border area of Kerala involve in illegal activity. Shekar Kumar Niraj, principal chief conservator of forest and chief wildlife warden told TOI, “The Goldmines RL areas are located close to the reserve forest area. Lands falling under corridors or wild animal movement areas could be judiciously prohibited from the mining of any kind.” These incidents are examples that frequent movement of wild elephants occur at the Goldmines RL areas, he said. Goldmine RL areas, extending to over 600 hectares, were once tried for gold mining during the British period. Many mining pits in that location are more than 50 years old. New mining pits are also found. “Under Section 53 of the Gudalur Janmam Estate (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act 1969, the Goldmining RL areas have been declared as a reserve forest. But the procedure under Section 16A of Forest Act is still underway,” Niraj said. He said, “To protect the wild animals from falling into the mining pits, we are working on mitigation strategies. For the time being, as an alleviation measure, the big mining pits would be fenced, while the small mining pits would be filled with earth.” https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/tamil-nadu-forest-officials-to-check-illegal-goldmining-in-pandalur-range/articleshow/86928196.cms