TN CM inaugurates India’s second ‘mahout village’ at Anamalai Tiger Reserve

Chennai, Oct 6 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday inaugurated India’s second 'mahout village' at the Anamalai Tiger Reserve.

The village, dedicated to caretakers of elephants at the Kozhikamuthi Elephant Camp, comprises 47 staff quarters constructed at Rs 5.4 crore, a government release said.

It is powered by a 124 kWp solar plant, a 516 kWh battery bank, and a 100 kW inverter, ensuring uninterrupted green power supply to all 47 mahout households, the release added.

India’s first 'mahout village', inaugurated in May, is also in Tamil Nadu, at Theppakadu in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.

The Kozhikamuthi Elephant Camp, one of the oldest in the country, is home to mahouts from the tribal community who inherit generations of traditional knowledge in elephant management. The camp currently houses 24 elephants.

Recognising the invaluable role of tribal knowledge, the Tamil Nadu government had earlier amended service rules to provide direct recruitment opportunities for kavadis from indigenous communities, ensuring their traditional expertise is preserved and integrated into elephant management practices, the release said.

Minister for Forests and Khadi, S Rajakannappan, and Chief Secretary to Government, as well as Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department, Supriya Sahu, were also present at the event. PTI JR SSK