The Forest Department with the support of Coimbatore Rural Police took out rallies in places near Mettupalayam on Wednesday to create awareness among the public on how to deal with wild elephants that stray from forests.
The rallies were held in the wake of recent incidents wherein some people threw firecrackers at a tusker nicknamed Baahubali that regularly strays into human habitations near Mettupalayam for crop raiding.
Forest Range Officers (FRO) of Mettupalayam, Sirumugai and Karamadai forest ranges and the Inspector of Mettupalayam police station led the awareness activity. The rallies were taken out from Black Thunder to Odanthurai, Dasampalayam and Kurumbanur village areas. Mettupalayam FRO C. Palaniraja said the main objective of the activity was to educate the public on dealing with elephants that come to villages for crop raiding. Farmers were advised not to chase wild elephants on their own. “We have urged the public not to hurl fire crackers at wild elephants to chase them. They have been asked to contact the Forest Department upon spotting elephants in human habitations and farms. We have also urged them not to crowd at places where wild elephants are spotted,” he said.