A banana and coconut grove on the outskirts of Kanchanahalla village in Agumbe Gram Panchayat limits was raided earlier this week by a tusker, leaving the farmer distraught.
This is not an isolated case. A lone tusker has left farmers in the entire region terrorised for two years now. The farmers here narrate terrifying experiences of being confronted with the tusker.
For instance, it came charging at two farmers who were returning from fields while crossing Balehalli road in the evening recently. The elephant has claimed one life and there have been 48 cases of major crop damage over two years. In April 2014, Dharmaiah, a farmer, was trampled to death in Malandur village. In all, Rs.1,70,580 has been paid as compensation for the crop loss caused so far.
While elephants are rarely sighted in hilly regions like Agumbe, this tusker is suspected to have come here from Bhadra sanctuary and made the forest its abode.
Gram panchayat president Hasirumane Nandan told The Hindu that the loss is more than what the figures provided by the department project. He added that only a paltry sum is paid as compensation and farmers do not even claim compensation for minor losses. Agricultural activities have received a setback with farmers fearing to venture out. “Owing to the movement of the tusker, autorickshaw drivers also hesitate to ply to these villages after evening,” he said.
In October 2015, Tirthahalli Taluk Panchayat passed a resolution demanding the State government take measures to translocate the elephant. Minister for Forest Ramanath Rai, who visited Agumbe last week, has assured residents of necessary action.
Until such time, the villagers see little hope in sight.
