Andhra Pradesh: Ryots in Parvathipuram Manyam district demand elephants to be captured

PARVATHIPURAM-MANYAM: For years now, farmers of Balijipeta, Garugubilli and Vangara mandals in the district have been dealing with the herd of elephants that venture into their farms and destroy the crops. Repeated pleas to either divert the herd into the forest or increase the compensation given to them have been ignored. The farmers are now demanding the forest officials to capture the elephants. 

A CPI activist from Komarada mandal, K Samba Murthy said, “The compensation is meagre. The government has not hiked it for the past six years. Also, if a farmer incurs damage to two tonnes of crop, aid is provided only for one tonne. I appeal to the forest officials to either capture the elephants or divert them in their original habitation in Odisha’s Lakheri forest.”

Kurupam forest range officer and elephant monitoring cell, R Raja Babu said, “The herd strayed into plain mandals four days ago. It attacked a cattle shed and killed a cow near Lakhanapuram village three days ago. Later, the herd has been roaming in Balijipeta, Garugubilli and neighbouring mandals. We have been monitoring the elephants’ movements with the help of our trackers. We have began the procedure to disburse the compensation.