Human-elephant conflict on rise: Farmer killed in Dodamarg
The Times of India
April 9, 2025
See link
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/human-elephant-conflict-on-rise-farmer-killed-in-dodamarg/articleshow/120136961.cms
for photo.
Keri: The death of a farmer in an elephant attack at Morle village of
Dodamarg, bordering Goa, on Tuesday, has brought into focus yet again the
man-animal conflict. Laxman Gawas, 65, a horticulturist, was attacked and
killed by an elephant while he was out collecting cashew nuts.
After 2015, this was the first case wherein an elephant killed a man.
Earlier this week, an elephant attacked a lady, but she managed to rescue
herself.
Villagers have become aggressive and are agitating for the capture of the
violent elephant. We are in the process of resolving the issue, deputy
conservator of forest of Sawantwadi division, Navkishor Reddy, the TOI.
Since 2002, elephants from the Dandeli forest of Karnataka have been coming
to Dodamarg. Failure of the authorities to gauge the gravity of the issue
and implement holistic measures has intensified conflict.
More than a dozen elephants were killed in the conflict over the past few
years, and farmers are suffering a loss of their crops.
A few years ago, elephants were regularly spotted in the forested villages
of Bardez, Bicholim and Pernem.
A local said that bordering villages are affected by the repeated intrusion
of elephants.
Recently, the minister of forests of Maharashtra, Ganesh Naik, held a
meeting at the request of the local MLA, Dipak Kesarkar, and assured the
implementation of necessary mitigation measures at the earliest to sort out
the menace created by the intrusion of elephants in areas of the
Sindhudurg-Kolhapur districts.
He gave directives to the forest officials for the formation of a primary
response team to tackle the wild elephant menace and develop a relocation
plan to move these elephants to a protected area near the Tillari
reservoir. Also, planting bamboo, banana, and jackfruit trees in the
Tillari region was suggested to provide a sustainable source of food for
the elephants.
On Tuesday, enraged villagers blocked the road in Morle and didn't allow
the forest officials to leave the area unless an order was issued for the
capture of the elephant. Finally, the principal chief conservator of
forests approved the capture.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/human-elephant-conflict-on-rise-farmer-killed-in-dodamarg/articleshow/120136961.cms
Human-elephant conflict on rise: Farmer killed in Dodamarg
The Times of India
April 9, 2025
See link
<https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/human-elephant-conflict-on-rise-farmer-killed-in-dodamarg/articleshow/120136961.cms>
for photo.
Keri: The death of a farmer in an elephant attack at Morle village of
Dodamarg, bordering Goa, on Tuesday, has brought into focus yet again the
man-animal conflict. Laxman Gawas, 65, a horticulturist, was attacked and
killed by an elephant while he was out collecting cashew nuts.
After 2015, this was the first case wherein an elephant killed a man.
Earlier this week, an elephant attacked a lady, but she managed to rescue
herself.
Villagers have become aggressive and are agitating for the capture of the
violent elephant. We are in the process of resolving the issue, deputy
conservator of forest of Sawantwadi division, Navkishor Reddy, the TOI.
Since 2002, elephants from the Dandeli forest of Karnataka have been coming
to Dodamarg. Failure of the authorities to gauge the gravity of the issue
and implement holistic measures has intensified conflict.
More than a dozen elephants were killed in the conflict over the past few
years, and farmers are suffering a loss of their crops.
A few years ago, elephants were regularly spotted in the forested villages
of Bardez, Bicholim and Pernem.
A local said that bordering villages are affected by the repeated intrusion
of elephants.
Recently, the minister of forests of Maharashtra, Ganesh Naik, held a
meeting at the request of the local MLA, Dipak Kesarkar, and assured the
implementation of necessary mitigation measures at the earliest to sort out
the menace created by the intrusion of elephants in areas of the
Sindhudurg-Kolhapur districts.
He gave directives to the forest officials for the formation of a primary
response team to tackle the wild elephant menace and develop a relocation
plan to move these elephants to a protected area near the Tillari
reservoir. Also, planting bamboo, banana, and jackfruit trees in the
Tillari region was suggested to provide a sustainable source of food for
the elephants.
On Tuesday, enraged villagers blocked the road in Morle and didn't allow
the forest officials to leave the area unless an order was issued for the
capture of the elephant. Finally, the principal chief conservator of
forests approved the capture.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/human-elephant-conflict-on-rise-farmer-killed-in-dodamarg/articleshow/120136961.cms
