Farmers raise concerns as lone tusker is on crop raid near Coimbatore
The Hindu
January 6, 2025
See link
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/farmers-raise-concerns-as-lone-tusker-is-on-crop-raid-near-coimbatore/article69069077.ece
for photo.
After struggling to protect their crops from small herds of elephants,
farmers from Pappanaickenpalayam and surrounding villages near Thadagam in
Coimbatore district are having sleepless nights due to a lone male elephant.
The young tusker, according to farmers, has been feeding on various
agricultural crops and cattle feed stored in cow sheds in the locality for
the past few days.
On Saturday night, the tusker entered the farm of Giridharan at
Pappanaickenpalayam and damaged areca nut palms, papaya and banana.
Another resident of the locality, Udhay Kumar said the same elephant
damaged over 100 banana trees, which were nearing harvest stage.
“I had harvested 50 % of the kadali banana from the farm. The elephant
damaged the ones that were left to be harvested. Elephants prefer the stem
inside the trunk. But the entire tree and banana get damaged when they feed
on the stem,” he said.
Irrigation pipeline laid for the farm was also damaged by the elephant. The
cost of laying pipes for an acre was around ₹50,000.
The same elephant ate corn flour, which is used as cattle feed, stored by
Venkateshan of Pappanaickenpalayam early on Monday. It also damaged a gate,
browsing through farms.
Farmers from the region said that frontline staff of the Forest Department
reach the spot at the earliest, when they are alerted about the presence of
elephants. But in most of the cases, farmers notice elephants only when
they approach houses or cowsheds, after completing crop raiding.
Farmers’ leader Mahalakshmi Manoharan from Kalayanur village said the
Forest Department was currently deploying only one team for night patrols
in villages in and around the Thadagam valley. Active patrols by an
additional team could reduce crop damage, she said.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/farmers-raise-concerns-as-lone-tusker-is-on-crop-raid-near-coimbatore/article69069077.ece
Farmers raise concerns as lone tusker is on crop raid near Coimbatore
The Hindu
January 6, 2025
See link
<https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/farmers-raise-concerns-as-lone-tusker-is-on-crop-raid-near-coimbatore/article69069077.ece>
for photo.
After struggling to protect their crops from small herds of elephants,
farmers from Pappanaickenpalayam and surrounding villages near Thadagam in
Coimbatore district are having sleepless nights due to a lone male elephant.
The young tusker, according to farmers, has been feeding on various
agricultural crops and cattle feed stored in cow sheds in the locality for
the past few days.
On Saturday night, the tusker entered the farm of Giridharan at
Pappanaickenpalayam and damaged areca nut palms, papaya and banana.
Another resident of the locality, Udhay Kumar said the same elephant
damaged over 100 banana trees, which were nearing harvest stage.
“I had harvested 50 % of the kadali banana from the farm. The elephant
damaged the ones that were left to be harvested. Elephants prefer the stem
inside the trunk. But the entire tree and banana get damaged when they feed
on the stem,” he said.
Irrigation pipeline laid for the farm was also damaged by the elephant. The
cost of laying pipes for an acre was around ₹50,000.
The same elephant ate corn flour, which is used as cattle feed, stored by
Venkateshan of Pappanaickenpalayam early on Monday. It also damaged a gate,
browsing through farms.
Farmers from the region said that frontline staff of the Forest Department
reach the spot at the earliest, when they are alerted about the presence of
elephants. But in most of the cases, farmers notice elephants only when
they approach houses or cowsheds, after completing crop raiding.
Farmers’ leader Mahalakshmi Manoharan from Kalayanur village said the
Forest Department was currently deploying only one team for night patrols
in villages in and around the Thadagam valley. Active patrols by an
additional team could reduce crop damage, she said.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/farmers-raise-concerns-as-lone-tusker-is-on-crop-raid-near-coimbatore/article69069077.ece
