Gate to keep elephants off coffee estates

The Forest Department has installed a gate at Palibetta Abbooru, to prevent elephants from entering coffee estates.

Officials have also been deployed at the spot to chase the elephants back into the forest.

There are several large coffee estates in the Athooru, Maldare and Palibetta region and situated on the periphery of Mavakalli, Jenukallubetta and Devamacchi forest areas.

There are a lot of trees in these coffee estates, but several trees have been destroyed in the forest following fires in the last few years. With the decline in availability of food in the forest, the elephants have been straying into the villages in search of food.

Taluk Panchayat former member Ramdas said, “Out of the 11-acre forest land in Abbooru, only 2.5 acres are remaining as forest. The forest land has been encroached upon and converted into coffee estate in the region.”

The Forest Department has installed an iron gate on the road. Trenches have been dug on the periphery of the forest. “The elephants try to enter the coffee estates around 7.30 pm. We chase them back to forest by bursting crackers,” said forest guards Manjunath, Mahanthesh and Siddaiah.

“After installing the gate, the elephant menace has reduced to some extent. The guards keep watch, while we work in the estate,” said worker from Piriyapattana Thayamma.