<p>A carpenter turned inventor’s ‘fake gun’ without a trigger has become a rage among farmers in the hinterland.</p>.<p>Carpenter Gopal Achari’s fake gun has come as a ray of hope for farmers who are at their wits end after exhausting all means to prevent the army of monkeys from raiding their arecanut and coconut plantations.</p>.<p>In fact, the means of preventing monkeys from plundering their coconut plantations has always been a favourite theme on many farmers groups on social media.</p>.<p>Many farmers had used devices like laser torch and scarecrows with little success. A farmer in Guruvayankere even caught a baby monkey in order to send a strong message to the invading monkeys. “But that too had no impact,” rued the farmer.</p>.<p>Another farmer, Dinesh from Karimanelu in Beltangady taluk, had even used the air gun when the monkeys invaded his coconut plantation located on the periphery of the forest.</p>.<p>“When the air gun too had no impact, I lost interest in farming,” recollects Dinesh.</p>.<p>Gopal Achari, a carpenter with 35 years of experience, decided to help his neighbour Dinesh and designed the fake gun.</p>.<p>“The fake gun scared the daylights of the monkeys and now I need to just flash the fake gun and the monkeys take to their heels,” informs Dinesh, flashing a broad smile.</p>.<p>Gopal Achari says his fake gun is so safe and simple, even a housewife can use it.</p>.<p>After filling the barrel with pebbles, a cracker is placed in a groove located at the beginning of the barrel.</p>.<p>“The simple Beedi cracker explodes with a deafening sound. More than the sound, it is the pebbles that make the monkeys wince in pain,” said Dinesh.</p>.<p>The pebbles strike their target, even if monkeys are located at a distance of about 100 ft, said Dinesh.</p>.<p>Gopal Achari says even Venur Range Forest Officer (RFO) has been recommending his fake gun to farmers facing monkey menace as it does not inflict a disabling wound or kill the simian.</p>.<p>The fake gun priced between Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,500 (high-end models have brass plates) seems to be an effective tool until monkeys learn to adapt to it.</p>
<p>A carpenter turned inventor’s ‘fake gun’ without a trigger has become a rage among farmers in the hinterland.</p>.<p>Carpenter Gopal Achari’s fake gun has come as a ray of hope for farmers who are at their wits end after exhausting all means to prevent the army of monkeys from raiding their arecanut and coconut plantations.</p>.<p>In fact, the means of preventing monkeys from plundering their coconut plantations has always been a favourite theme on many farmers groups on social media.</p>.<p>Many farmers had used devices like laser torch and scarecrows with little success. A farmer in Guruvayankere even caught a baby monkey in order to send a strong message to the invading monkeys. “But that too had no impact,” rued the farmer.</p>.<p>Another farmer, Dinesh from Karimanelu in Beltangady taluk, had even used the air gun when the monkeys invaded his coconut plantation located on the periphery of the forest.</p>.<p>“When the air gun too had no impact, I lost interest in farming,” recollects Dinesh.</p>.<p>Gopal Achari, a carpenter with 35 years of experience, decided to help his neighbour Dinesh and designed the fake gun.</p>.<p>“The fake gun scared the daylights of the monkeys and now I need to just flash the fake gun and the monkeys take to their heels,” informs Dinesh, flashing a broad smile.</p>.<p>Gopal Achari says his fake gun is so safe and simple, even a housewife can use it.</p>.<p>After filling the barrel with pebbles, a cracker is placed in a groove located at the beginning of the barrel.</p>.<p>“The simple Beedi cracker explodes with a deafening sound. More than the sound, it is the pebbles that make the monkeys wince in pain,” said Dinesh.</p>.<p>The pebbles strike their target, even if monkeys are located at a distance of about 100 ft, said Dinesh.</p>.<p>Gopal Achari says even Venur Range Forest Officer (RFO) has been recommending his fake gun to farmers facing monkey menace as it does not inflict a disabling wound or kill the simian.</p>.<p>The fake gun priced between Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,500 (high-end models have brass plates) seems to be an effective tool until monkeys learn to adapt to it.</p>
