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Chennai, 6 October (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday inaugurated the second dedicated village in the state for the huts at the historic Kozhikamuthi elephant camp at Anmalai Tiger Reserve, Polachi.
The project aims to provide modern housing and welfare facilities for tribal mahaut and elephant caretaker who play an important role in the state’s famous elephant management tradition.
According to an official release, the new village has 47 staff quarters designed for mahouts and their families. It follows the construction of India’s first Mahaout village in Deepkadu of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve earlier this year.
CM Stalin virtually inaugurated the Kozhikamuthi project. One of the oldest and most prestigious elephants in the country, Kozhikamuthi, currently cares about 24 elephants.
The animals are handled by the greatouts related to indigenous communities, whose knowledge and skills have been crossed by generations. To further integrate the tradition with modern practices, the state government has amended the service rules to allow direct recruitment of kavs (elephant assistants) from tribal groups, ensuring that their expertise continues to shape elephant protection and management.
Advanced camps also include new visitor-friendly features such as a safe walking route to improve eco-tourism while protecting an elephant viewing gallery and housing.
A major stability initiative is the installation of a solar-driven microgrid with advanced battery storage to provide uninterrupted and environmentally friendly power supply.
Established by the State Planning Commission at a cost of Rs 3.5 crore, this system includes 124 KWP solar plant, 516 kWh battery bank and 100 kW inverter, which also ensures electricity during monsoon and storm conditions.
Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary for Environment and Jungles, and Srinivas R. Reddy, senior officials, including the chief patron of the forest (head of the forest force), participated in the event. State officials said the project reflects the commitment to protect their elephants and support the communities working with them.
With a combination of modern infrastructure, honor for renewable energy and traditional skills, Kozhikamuthi Mahaut Village is expected to set up a benchmark for human wildlife management and permanent eco-tourism in India.
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