Alleging that death of spotted deer due to accidents near Sivarakottai has increased in recent months, a section of farmers petitioned Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao on Monday demanding measures to safeguard wildlife and agriculture.
M. Ramalingam, president, Madurai District Farmers’ Welfare Association and a resident of Sivarakottai, said 20 spotted deer were killed on road and rail tracks in the past two months alone. “In the last 10 days, four deer were fatally knocked down by trains in the Kallikudi-Sivarakottai stretch,” he said.
The farmers also complained of poaching of spotted deer and wild boars. “Four months back, the Forest Department nabbed a four-member team that killed a spotted deer for meat. However, such incidents still continue,” Mr. Ramalingam said.
Tamil Dasan, coordinator of Naanal Nanbargal Movement, who accompanied the farmers, charged the State government of trying to bring a State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu park instead of protecting the wildlife and agriculture there.