Elephant herd leaves aged man injured near Thadagam

In Coimbatore district, Thadagam, Chinna Thadagam, Kanuvai and Somayanur areas witnessed intrusion of two herds of pachyderms on Monday night.

Elephant herd seen near a brick kiln in Coimbatore on Monday night.

Veerappa Chettiar (65) son of Muniandi Chettiar in a private kiln in Somayanur near Thadagam was injured, when he was attacked by one of the elephants in a three member herd on Tuesday.

On information, Forest Department rushed its anti-depredation squad members to chase the herd and the injured was rushed to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) where he is undergoing treatment.In Valparai, a 41-year old plantation worker Krishnasamy sustained injuries when a herd of four elephants chased four workers. While the three ran to safety, Krishnasamy fell and sustained injuries in the attack near Navamalai estates.

In Coimbatore district, Thadagam, Chinna Thadagam, Kanuvai and Somayanur areas witnessed intrusion of two herds of pachyderms on Monday night.

M. Nazir, Range Officer of Periyanaickenpalayam Range told

The Hindu that farmers have given up the use of Proposis Juliflora (Cheemai karuveli) and are increasingly taking to other forms of wood for use as fuel to bake the raw bricks into final product. Lack of availability and high cost of transportation for the former was stated as the reason.

According to sources, cashew husk and Palmyra trees are being increased as fuel in brick kilns.

Palmyrah is found to be luring pachyderms because of its taste and sedative effect. Only a few brick kilns have gone for gasifier plants or coal as fuel for baking the raw brick cakes. On Monday night, it was exactly Palmyra trees that lured the pachyderms, forest officials pointed out. Cutting of Palmyra trees and marketing them as fuel was done indiscriminately and there no regulatory mechanism to curb this, officials added.Despite these measures, use of Palmyrah tree was continuing unabated. Mr.Nazir said that a fresh round of efforts would be taken to sensitise the brick kilns to bring an end to the use of Palmyrah tree.