<p>The barking of dogs after sunset makes the residents of Kotrakere village wary about elephant menace in the area. It appears that the there is no respite for the villagers of Banakal hobli in Mudigere taluk from elephant menace.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The constant attack by wild elephants on the crops for the last one month has made farmers wary about their future.<br /><br />The constant raids by the elephants has created a curfew-like situation even during the broad daylight. Kotrakere, Tripura and Kogile villages have been facing the brunt of elephant attack for the last 15 years. However, the loss of crops is the highest this year, residents said.<br /><br />The elephants have already claimed two lives in the region. A herd of elephants have been raiding the villages and sometimes come even till the doorstep of a house to consume bananas.<br /><br />“When the elephants come near the houses, the dogs start barking and we live in the fear of elephants damaging the walls and doors of the house,” said a resident.<br /><br />Hundreds of arecanut plants, coffee plants and pepper vines have been razed to the ground by the elephants. Fearing for life, the labourers refuse to come to work in estates, residents said.<br /><br />Jagadish, a resident, said “the elephants don’t get food inside the forest. Hence, they come to villages situated on the periphery of the forest in search of food. The proposal on planting of fruit-bearing trees, construction of trenches and solar fences to check the elephant menace has remained only on paper. The officials should discuss the issue of elephant menace at department-level meetings and relocate the elephants.”<br /><br />Fearing the loss of crops, several farmers in Kotrakere, Tripura and Kogile villages have stopped cultivating paddy and have felled banana plantations, he added.<br /><br />Gram Panchayat former president Shanthala Nagesh said “We have been facing the menace for several years now. However, neither the elected representatives nor the officials have taken the issue seriously. The forest officials are responsible for the loss of crops.”<br /><br /></p>
<p>The barking of dogs after sunset makes the residents of Kotrakere village wary about elephant menace in the area. It appears that the there is no respite for the villagers of Banakal hobli in Mudigere taluk from elephant menace.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The constant attack by wild elephants on the crops for the last one month has made farmers wary about their future.<br /><br />The constant raids by the elephants has created a curfew-like situation even during the broad daylight. Kotrakere, Tripura and Kogile villages have been facing the brunt of elephant attack for the last 15 years. However, the loss of crops is the highest this year, residents said.<br /><br />The elephants have already claimed two lives in the region. A herd of elephants have been raiding the villages and sometimes come even till the doorstep of a house to consume bananas.<br /><br />“When the elephants come near the houses, the dogs start barking and we live in the fear of elephants damaging the walls and doors of the house,” said a resident.<br /><br />Hundreds of arecanut plants, coffee plants and pepper vines have been razed to the ground by the elephants. Fearing for life, the labourers refuse to come to work in estates, residents said.<br /><br />Jagadish, a resident, said “the elephants don’t get food inside the forest. Hence, they come to villages situated on the periphery of the forest in search of food. The proposal on planting of fruit-bearing trees, construction of trenches and solar fences to check the elephant menace has remained only on paper. The officials should discuss the issue of elephant menace at department-level meetings and relocate the elephants.”<br /><br />Fearing the loss of crops, several farmers in Kotrakere, Tripura and Kogile villages have stopped cultivating paddy and have felled banana plantations, he added.<br /><br />Gram Panchayat former president Shanthala Nagesh said “We have been facing the menace for several years now. However, neither the elected representatives nor the officials have taken the issue seriously. The forest officials are responsible for the loss of crops.”<br /><br /></p>
