Wild elephants damaging coconut farms along Western Ghats near Rajapalayam The Hindu July 14, 2024 See link <https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/wild-elephants-damaging-coconut-farms-along-western-ghats-near-rajapalayam/article68403832.ece> for photo. Farmers along Western Ghats near here have faced loss of horticulture crops damaged by invading wild elephants in the last few days. One of the victims of the elephant destruction, N.S. Sankar Raja (69), said that some 30 coconut palms were uprooted or damaged by the elephant on Saturday night. “The elephant has eaten the crown of the palms, which means the trees are dead,” he said. Having spent his time, energy and money for raising the coconut palms on three acres of land, Mr. Sankar said that he has lost faith in the officials of Department of Forest and Department of Revenue. “I have been facing loss of crop due to wild elephants for the past five years and no action has been taken by the officials. These days, I do not complain to anyone but put up with them,” he said. He has also lost several mango trees after their branches were broken by the elephants. Similarly, the elephants have been tasting the jackfruits of some six trees he had raised on his farms. Farmers who had their land adjacent to Sankar’s farm have also lost coconut trees in the last few days, he added. The farmers wanted the officials to take steps to put up electric fencing or dig up trenches to prevent the wild panchyderms from entering the farm lands. https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/wild-elephants-damaging-coconut-farms-along-western-ghats-near-rajapalayam/article68403832.ece