Elephants destroy coffee plantation in Dindigul district

Eight months ago, the District Forest Officer and a team of officials assured to take steps to prevent wild elephants from damaging crops but nothing has been done, said farmers

Wild elephants destroyed a coffee plantation spread over three acres in Adalur village in Kanniwadi forest limits in the district on Sunday.

With COVID-19 pandemic, the farmers’ who lived indoors, were unaware of the elephant movement on Sunday. “Only after when some passersby informed, we learnt about the damage done to our crops,” said Boopathi, a farmer in Adalur.

He said that eight months ago, when they had encountered similar problem, the District Forest Officer and other officials inspected the place. They assured to take steps to ensure that the wild animals stayed deep inside the forests. An officer even claimed that they were in the process of digging huge trenches, which would prevent the animals from crossing the demarcated lines. But nothing has been implemented, he alleged.

Another farmer, Xavier, said that they were even given tips to install solar fencing by the Horticulture Department officials last year. The farmers’ were facing problems in some way or the other for the last three years. “We are not able to repay loans in the bank. We have pledged our valuables to make both ends meet. Apart from this, we have some private borrowings too from money lenders,” he added.

When the crops were ready for harvest, the elephants had damaged them totally, they said. The village panchayat presidents in the past too had suggested to give compensation to the patta land holders as and when they complained about such animal intrusion but nothing has materialised.

A forest official in the district said that the elephants may have entered the village in search of food and water. “We will inspect the village and step up vigil by deploying more volunteers/anti-poachers in the vicinity,” the official assured.