Farmers are worried about wild animals like elephants and gaurs damaging their crop along Western Ghats in Kansapuram.
“Not a day passes without wild elephants or gaurs or wild boars damaging the crops,” complained P.M. Radhakrishnan, 54, who has his farm in Pandaram Parai. He said that mango trees and coconut palms in his neighbour, K. Dharmalingam’s farm were damaged by wild elephants on Friday night.
“Invasion of wild elephants, gaurs, bears and wild boars have become so frequent that farmers are afraid to stay back in the farms at night to keep vigil,” he said. He said that five coconut palms and four mango trees were uprooted in Mr. Dharmalingam’s farm. Elephants have been raiding the farms for the last few months and damaging the crops, said another farmer, Pon Arunachalam, 69, of Aththikoil. Forest officials have not supplied crackers to farmers to drive away the wild animals.
Damaging trees and palms that are more than 10 to 15 year old causes lot of loss to farmers, he said.
District president of Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam, N.A. Ramachandra Raja complained that the officials were not coming forward to find a permanent solution to the wild animal menace which is rampant in farms in Rajapalayam, Watrap and Srivilliputtur taluks.
“The trenches they had dug up a few years back have failed following rains. Besides, officials should provide solar fencing to prevent wild animals,” he said.
Farmers complained that they were not suitably compensated for damages. “The officials who show keen interest in imposing fine on farmers for their cattle straying into reserved forest areas, were ignoring us when it comes to wild animals attack,” Mr. Radhakrishnan said.
Collector R. Kannan has promised to form a committee comprising officials from the Departments of Forest, Revenue and Agriculture to give compensation to farmers, said Mr. Ramachandra Raja. But officials were not acting fast to help the farmers, he added.