Will kill animals if forest dept does not stop them: Farmers association
(Coimbatore)
The New Indian Express
January 25, 2023
Members of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association have threatened to kill
animals entering their farmlands if the forest department does not take
steps to prevent intrusion of wild animals.
T Venugopal, president of the association, said this during a protest at
Jothipuram near Periyanacikenpalayam, after one person was killed and two
persons were injured here last week, “The officials of Coimbatore forest
division should come up with new ways to prevent elephant intrusion since
their earlier method of maintaining Elephant Proof Trenches (EPT) and Solar
Fence have not worked out well as the elephants continue to enter and
destroy crops every day. Over the last decade, many people have quit
farming due to frequent intrusion.”
“We have not destroyed forest land and not occupied the elephant pathway.
However, the forest department officials keep saying that the elephant
pathway has been encroached on by us. Like Railways, the forest department
should also hand over the task of monitoring wild elephants to private
players,” he added. “The increase in wild animal population poses a threat
to motorists using roads near forest areas as animals attack their
vehicles. We are also vexed about getting compensation from the department
since the staff has been visiting the damaged land for namesake,” said
Venugopal. The association has decided to meet the CM and Governor RN Ravi
in February and raise the issues with them.
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2023/jan/25/will-kill-animals-if-forest-dept-does-not-stop-themfarmers-association-2541060.html
Will kill animals if forest dept does not stop them: Farmers association
(Coimbatore)
The New Indian Express
January 25, 2023
Members of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association have threatened to kill
animals entering their farmlands if the forest department does not take
steps to prevent intrusion of wild animals.
T Venugopal, president of the association, said this during a protest at
Jothipuram near Periyanacikenpalayam, after one person was killed and two
persons were injured here last week, “The officials of Coimbatore forest
division should come up with new ways to prevent elephant intrusion since
their earlier method of maintaining Elephant Proof Trenches (EPT) and Solar
Fence have not worked out well as the elephants continue to enter and
destroy crops every day. Over the last decade, many people have quit
farming due to frequent intrusion.”
“We have not destroyed forest land and not occupied the elephant pathway.
However, the forest department officials keep saying that the elephant
pathway has been encroached on by us. Like Railways, the forest department
should also hand over the task of monitoring wild elephants to private
players,” he added. “The increase in wild animal population poses a threat
to motorists using roads near forest areas as animals attack their
vehicles. We are also vexed about getting compensation from the department
since the staff has been visiting the damaged land for namesake,” said
Venugopal. The association has decided to meet the CM and Governor RN Ravi
in February and raise the issues with them.
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2023/jan/25/will-kill-animals-if-forest-dept-does-not-stop-themfarmers-association-2541060.html