Erode: A herd of wild elephants destroyed a banana plantation in Kanakkampalayam village here on Sunday morning.
The herd consisted of four elephants and a calf, said S Dakshinamurthy, 40, owner of the plantation. “The elephants came from the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve and destroyed more than 100 banana trees, resulting in losses to the tune of Rs 1 lakh,” he told TOI.
Wild elephants are frequently spotted near fertile lands, said Suresh Kumar, another farmer. “They will be here till March, threatening our livelihood. I lost nearly 150 banana trees and tomato plants to elephants last year,” he said.
Dakshinamurthy said he is expecting a solatium from the state government.
Forest department officials visited the plantation. “We measured the crop damage and will send a report to the state government for solatium,” an official said.