Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan Visits Musalamadugu Kunki Elephant Training Centre — Launches Key Forest Initiatives
Chittoor, November 9:
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Forest & Environment Minister Sri Pawan Kalyan visited the Kunki Elephant Training Centre at Musalamadugu in the Palamaneru constituency on Sunday. The centre, set up to manage and train elephants to tackle wild tusker attacks, has become a major initiative to protect crops and villagers from the menace of rogue elephants in the region.
During his visit, Pawan Kalyan personally interacted with the forest officials and mahouts, inquiring about the elephants’ training and welfare. The four Kunki elephants brought from Karnataka, along with three already stationed at the camp, gave a captivating demonstration of their skills.
The trained elephants showcased how they assist in forest operations — from moving logs to controlling herds of wild elephants entering human settlements. A particularly impressive display showed how mahouts manage aggressive elephants using tranquilizer guns. The Deputy Chief Minister watched the demonstrations with keen interest and later personally fed jaggery to the elephants, seeking the blessings of “Gajaraju.”
Inauguration of Elephant Camp and Forest Projects
Sri Pawan Kalyan inaugurated the Musalamadugu Elephant Camp, marking a new milestone for wildlife management in Andhra Pradesh. He also laid the foundation stone for the Gajaramam City Forest, a green zone to be developed within the camp premises.
Further, he launched a modern solar-powered elephant-resistant fence, designed to prevent wild elephants from straying into human habitations — a first-of-its-kind initiative in the region.
Miyawaki Forest Plantation Launched
Emphasizing the importance of dense green cover, Pawan Kalyan inaugurated a Miyawaki forest plantation on a 250-square-meter plot at the training centre. He planted a sapling to mark the beginning of this high-density afforestation program, which promotes rapid tree growth in small spaces. He also reviewed the plantation layout and interacted with forest officers about its progress.
Appreciation for Mahouts
Recognizing the tireless efforts of the mahouts (Mavatis) who care for the Kunki elephants, the Deputy Chief Minister announced a personal cash gift of ₹50,000 as a token of appreciation for their service and dedication.
Officials Present
The visit was attended by Forest Chief Secretary Sri Kantilal Dande, PCCF Sri P.V. Chalapathi Rao, Forest Advisor Sri Mallikarjuna Rao, Chittoor District Collector Sri Sumit Kumar, District SP Sri Tushar Dudi, and senior forest officials from Anantapur and Tirupati, including Smt. Yashoda Bai and Sri Subburaju (DFO).
The event at Musalamadugu symbolized Pawan Kalyan’s commitment to wildlife conservation, human–elephant conflict mitigation, and sustainable forest development in Andhra Pradesh.
