JOIN USThe farmers in Suntikoppa hobli are in distress as wild elephant menace has increased in the past few days.
A herd of elephants that strayed into Herooru have destroyed crops. The farmers have expressed displeasure at the apathy of the Forest department in checking the menace.
Elephants that entered into the coffee plantation, belonging to one D L Sujatha, have damaged sweet potato, coffee, pepper and other crops. Similarly, the herd has damaged ginger, coffee, banana, coconut and pepper crops in plantations belonging to Chandrashekar, M N Nanaiah and others.
The farmers are planning to stage a protest against the negligent attitude of the Forest department. The elephants arrive from Aanekadu forest in search of food.
Farmer Chandrashekar said, “We have appealed to the authorities to initiate measures to check the elephant menace. Our appeals have fallen on deaf ears. If the officials take steps to dug up trenches on the periphery of the forest, then elephant menace can be checked to some extent.”
The trenches laid in Harangi, Yadavanadu and Athuru areas have helped to check the menace, he added.
Farmers M N Nanaiah and Sujatha said the officials should drive elephants back into the forest.