To put an end to the recurring menace of wild animals from the Sirumalai hill range straying into farmlands and destroying crops in villages near Alagarkoil and Alanganallur, a long-term proposal was discussed at the monthly farmers’ grievance day meeting at the Collectorate here on Friday.
Over the last few months, farmers had complained of Indian Gaurs venturing into farmlands and destroying their crops. “Herds of gaurs invade our fields at night and destroy crops. Torches and fire lamps, which were used to scare them away, are not effective anymore,” a farmer from a village near Alagarkoil said.
District Forest Officer Nihar Ranjan said that the forest department had submitted a proposal to the district administration to dig Animal Proof Trenches (ATP) to protect the farmlands. “Following a vulnerability study of villages that are prone to man-animal conflict, we submitted a proposal for digging trenches for a total length of 100 to 150 km. The trenches will be designed and dug in such a way that animals such as gaurs cannot cross them and enter farmlands,” he told the farmers.
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Stating that with good rains in the district, he expected such incidents to come down in the next few months, as animals strayed out of the forest only in search of water. “With good rain this year, such incidents will come down,” he said.
As a short-term solution, Collector L. Subramanian urged the farmers to form local committees to tackle the menace. Mr. Ranjan said that the farmers could be given money to buy crackers and burst them to scare the animals away from the fields.
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K. Thevaraj, a farmer, said that wild growth of ‘seemai karuvelam’ trees on tanks were extending into farmlands in the Tirumangalam area. “Acres of maize fields have been destroyed by wild pigs. We appeal for a solution to curb the pig menace,” he said. Mr. Ranjan said that a study would be carried out in the area and a solution arrived at.