With wild animals entering agricultural fields and raiding crops in Talavadi becoming common, farmers wanted the trenches that were dug two years ago to be maintained properly besides effective monitoring.
The Forest Department has been digging trenches and erecting solar fences in areas where agricultural lands were located near the forest area in Talavadi.
The purpose of the fences is to prevent elephants from straying out of their habitat and enter into conflict with humans and also prevent it from damaging crops.
But farmers in Neithalapuram panchayat in Talavadi said that the trenches were ineffective and their crops were raided frequently.
S. Thundappa (60) said that the trenches were damaged due to rain and were filled with mud.
He said that elephants, pigs, bison and other animals enter the fields during night hours and damage the crops regularly.
Fearing animals, many farmers had harvested their ragi and maize plants and were drying it near their houses. “We get low yield,” he said and wanted protection for the crops.
Though the farmers said that the Forest Department was providing compensation for the damaged crops, they wanted the trenches to be maintained properly. “We always live in fear as elephants enter our lands,” said R. Sennenjan (65).
The solar panels were also ineffective.
The trenches between the fringe areas of the forest and villages should be monitored, he added.
