Farmers raise concerns as wild elephants continue to raid cattle sheds,
fields near Coimbatore
The Hindu
July 25, 2024
See link
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/farmers-raise-concerns-as-wild-elephants-continue-to-raid-cattle-sheds-fields-near-coimbatore/article68446059.ece
for photo.
Farmers have raised concerns about recurring incidents of wild elephants
entering villages in the Thadagam valley and Maruthamalai foothills near
Coimbatore, feeding on crops and cattle feeds.
A herd of elephants entered a cattle shed belonging to K. Annapoorni at
Annai Indira Nagar at I.O.B. Colony at the Maruthamalai foothills around
3.20 a.m. and feasted on cattle feed and fodder. The elephants also damaged
tin sheets to get inside the shed, which is located around 500 metres away
from the forest boundary.
A video of the elephants breaking into the shed and feeding on cattle feeds
was widely circulated on social media.
Mahalakshmi Manoharan, a farmer from Kalayanur in Thadagam valley, said the
recent appeal made by the Forest Department not to stock cattle feed,
ration rice, etc in sheds and houses was impractical.
“It is impractical for every farmer to purchase cattle feed or ration rice
on every single day. Already farmers are in distress due to crop damages.
Buying cattle feed each day is a waste of manpower, money and energy,” she
said.
Another farmer, who owns land near Thondamuthur, alleged that the Forest
Department staff often do not drive out elephants when they remain inside a
farm and eat at peace for long hours.
“The staff hesitate to chase the elephants when they feed on crops inside
farms for long hours. If chased, these elephants could enter residential
areas and hence they often allow them to feed on crops. If left
undisturbed, the elephants themselves vacate the farms when they have
enough feed and they do not cause other damages,” alleged a farmer from
Thadagam.
Ms. Manoharan claimed that crop raiding and damage by elephants have
worsened over the past few years whereas elders like her mother, who was
born in the same village, had not seen elephants damaging houses and crops
in her young ages.
Forest Department officials said that special teams have been tasked to
monitor wild elephants that are regularly coming out of forests.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/farmers-raise-concerns-as-wild-elephants-continue-to-raid-cattle-sheds-fields-near-coimbatore/article68446059.ece
Farmers raise concerns as wild elephants continue to raid cattle sheds,
fields near Coimbatore
The Hindu
July 25, 2024
See link
<https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/farmers-raise-concerns-as-wild-elephants-continue-to-raid-cattle-sheds-fields-near-coimbatore/article68446059.ece>
for photo.
Farmers have raised concerns about recurring incidents of wild elephants
entering villages in the Thadagam valley and Maruthamalai foothills near
Coimbatore, feeding on crops and cattle feeds.
A herd of elephants entered a cattle shed belonging to K. Annapoorni at
Annai Indira Nagar at I.O.B. Colony at the Maruthamalai foothills around
3.20 a.m. and feasted on cattle feed and fodder. The elephants also damaged
tin sheets to get inside the shed, which is located around 500 metres away
from the forest boundary.
A video of the elephants breaking into the shed and feeding on cattle feeds
was widely circulated on social media.
Mahalakshmi Manoharan, a farmer from Kalayanur in Thadagam valley, said the
recent appeal made by the Forest Department not to stock cattle feed,
ration rice, etc in sheds and houses was impractical.
“It is impractical for every farmer to purchase cattle feed or ration rice
on every single day. Already farmers are in distress due to crop damages.
Buying cattle feed each day is a waste of manpower, money and energy,” she
said.
Another farmer, who owns land near Thondamuthur, alleged that the Forest
Department staff often do not drive out elephants when they remain inside a
farm and eat at peace for long hours.
“The staff hesitate to chase the elephants when they feed on crops inside
farms for long hours. If chased, these elephants could enter residential
areas and hence they often allow them to feed on crops. If left
undisturbed, the elephants themselves vacate the farms when they have
enough feed and they do not cause other damages,” alleged a farmer from
Thadagam.
Ms. Manoharan claimed that crop raiding and damage by elephants have
worsened over the past few years whereas elders like her mother, who was
born in the same village, had not seen elephants damaging houses and crops
in her young ages.
Forest Department officials said that special teams have been tasked to
monitor wild elephants that are regularly coming out of forests.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/farmers-raise-concerns-as-wild-elephants-continue-to-raid-cattle-sheds-fields-near-coimbatore/article68446059.ece