Raiding wild animals have destroyed crops on large tracts of agriculture land in Marayur. Areas constantly coming under the wild animals’ attack are Anackalpetty, Nachivayal, Chanelmedu, Mission Vayal and Cheruvadu.
While wild elephants raided the farmlands in the past few days, destroying plantain, arecanut and cocoa crops, it was the turn of wild gaurs to damage sugarcane crop in a wide area on Thursday.
In Anackalpetty, the sugarcane cultivation of farmer Thekkel Jose was destroyed. Farmers say that unlike in the past, the animals stay back on the fields and even the Forest Department’s effort to drive them away often fails.
At times they stay on till the entire field is destroyed. On Friday, a wild elephant and a calf destroyed vegetables and other crops in a farmland at Anackalpetty.
The farmers say that wild gaurs are familiar with the area, making it difficult to chase them to the forest.
Solar fencing is not effective and the wild animals move freely to human habitations through porous fences.
The crops destroyed in the fields of Babu, Kuttiraja, Baby and Paul Raj of Anackalpetty was about to be harvested soon. A Marayur Sandalwood Division official said forest officials were keeping vigil to ward off wild animal attacks.
Charging solar fencesUsually, solar fences are charged around 5 p.m., he said.
A wild animal could damage the fence when it is not charged.
He said a proposal would be sent to the government for providing compensation to the affected farmers. The porous borders of the forest through which the animals enter human habitations would be monitored, he added.
