Elephant menace: review meeting today (State of Karnataka, India)
Elephant menace: review meeting today (State of Karnataka, India)
The Hindu
February 15, 2021
People of Sakleshpur and Alur taluks, who have been badly hit by elephant
menace in the last two decades, are expecting that the meeting convened by
Forest Minister Aravind Limbavali in Sakleshpur on Tuesday will offer them
some relief.
As many as 61 people have died in Hassan district in elephant attacks since
2001, on an average of three persons a year. The State government has paid
compensation of ₹ 15.99 crore towards damage caused to crops by the
movement of elephants.
The residents of affected villages in Alur, Sakleshpur and Belur taluks
have been demanding a permanent solution to the problem. They want all the
elephants relocated. More than 60 elephants, spread over three-four herds,
have been roaming in the taluks. The people are afraid of coming out of
their houses in the early mornings and evenings as lone tuskers are known
for taking a stroll in the human habitats.
Last week, an agriculture labourer died while he was returning home from
the estate around 6.30 p.m. at Halasulige in Sakleshpur taluk. Following
the death, the residents staged a protest keeping his body in front of the
Deputy Commissioner’s office in Hassan. In response to the protest, Deputy
Commissioner R. Girish consulted Minister for Excise K. Gopalaiah, who is
also Minister in charge of the district, and fixed a meeting on this issue
in Sakleshpur on Tuesday.
The elected representatives, officers of the Revenue Department, Forest
Department and farmers would be attending the meeting.
“In the last two decades, several meetings have been convened by the
government to resolve the issue. But, so far there has been no permanent
solution to the problem. I wish the Minister understands the seriousness of
the problem and finds a solution”, said B.R. Manjunath, a resident of
Ballupete in Sakleshpur taluk.
Around 400 residents of villages, repeatedly affected by elephants, had
offered to part with their land to strengthen the elephant corridor so that
herds entering human habitats could be avoided. The district administration
held meetings with the villagers; however, it did not make any headway.