States »SoutPosted at: Jul 23 2021 2:29PM Kerala: Farmers urge authorities to control wild animal menace
Kozhikode, Jul 23 (UNI) Settler farmers in the eastern belts of the district are planning to pull up the forest authorities for failing in providing infrastructure to address the wild animal menace in their farmlands.
The farmers have since long been facing the heat of increasing farming costs coupled with natural calamities like heavy showers, floods, and landslides that devastate their crops and properties.
These farmers, mostly settlers who had migrated from southern parts of the state in the 50’s and 60’s, had experienced a tough time initially but were successful in cultivating spices, rubber and other crops in the hilly terrains. Though the pioneer settlers had somehow survived the wildlife menace, their next-generation have been largely troubled with the attacks of the increasing number of wild boars, elephants and monkeys, thanks to the stringent laws that prevent farmers from killing them no matter the quantum of menace and destruction to farmlands and properties. The setter farmers have since long been accusing the forest authorities of failing in their responsibility of erecting solar fences and digging trenches to check the infiltration of wild animals into their farmlands.
In an unprecedented move a second-generation farmer in Ammyanman in nearby Chakkittapara panchayat near here, has recently filed a complaint in the Peruvannamuzhi police station alleging dereliction of duty by the Deputy Range Officer of the Kerala Forest Department in providing due protection from wild animals.
The complainant, 74-year-old Kaumbitiankal Scaria alleged that hundreds of banana trees in his plantation were destroyed, and the compound wall has been damaged by wild elephants as the forest official failed to restrain the wild animal from entering his plantation.
The Peruvannamuzhi police have registered a case against the DRO in the incident of encroaching the plantation of Scaria on the morning of July 20 and destroying hundreds of fallen bananas and damaging the compound wall.
Peruvannamoozhi police received the complaint from Scaria on July 21 and issued a receipt. Sources in the police department said the case has been registered under Section 425 of the Indian Penal Code for gross misconduct and causing damage.
An organisation has also been constituted for helping the planters and farmers who have been facing the heat of the indiscriminate attacks from the wild animals for long.
KIFA officials said this was only the beginning of a legal battle against the Forest Department's outrage and accusations that farmers were encroachers.
KIFA Kozhikode District President Manoj Kumbalanikal said that KIFA is ready to provide legal assistance to all farmers affected by wildlife disturbances.
"The farmers have been severely impacted by the indiscriminate attack by wild animals. Many a worker is reluctant to do rubber tapping and other labour in plantations in the eastern belt of Kozhikode like Kakkayam, Peruvannamuzhi and Perambra", said Mathew, a veteran planter and farmer in Kallanod near Kakkayam.
The instances of damaging plantations and properties by wild animals including elephants, wild boars and monkeys were on an unprecedented increase, says Abraham, a planter and member of KIFA.
Many a north Indian labourer, who has been the backbone of the plantations segment in the eastern belt of Kozhikode and other areas in the western ghats has quit the vocation on account of the menace.
"The Forest laws are stringent, and the farmer is being booked if he does some trick to save his farm from the wild animals. No human can withstand the attack by boars and no household is spared by the rampant outrage by the monkeys, the population of both are dangerously on the rise", pointed out Mathews Abraham, who owns a five-acre plantation that includes rubber, pepper and other crops.
Now that the KIFA has been active and initiated action against forest officials, the story in the plantations in the eastern belt of the state would take a new turn. They also allege that the forest department failed to utilise funds allotted for providing infra that would prevent the wild animals from straying into the farmlands.
"There has to be some action so that the farmers and planters are saved from the incessant attacks from wild animals. A near-silent ambiance on roads and everywhere on account of the lockdowns have made these forest animals encroach even human habitats. But the law of the land does not permit any action against these animals which causes huge losses to the farmers. Instead, the forest officials book the man who protects his bread-winner farm or plantation", alleged Roy Mathew in Koorachundu near here.
Now it is a catch-22 situation prevailing in the eastern belt of Kozhikode and neighbouring districts that border the western ghats where hundreds of thousands of farmers make a living.
"No one is against wildlife or creatures, but things go wrong when they create fuss and play spoilsport in the farmers' livelihood" feels Mathews. There must be a legal and logical balance in human and wild animal survival, he adds.
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