TIRUCHI
A high-level committee, comprising experts and officials of Forest, Animal Husbandry and other departments, will be constituted to take up a study and recommend measures to prevent wild animals from damaging crops in Tiruchi region, Minister for Forests K.Ramachandran said.
“We have appointed teams to dig and maintain moats throughout the year in districts to prevent large animals such as elephants and gaurs intruding into human settlements and agricultural fields wherever such problems were reported. This will help recharge the underground water table in the respective areas,” he said speaking at a public hearing organised here on Friday.
The meet witnessed a spirited discussion with farmers from the districts of Tiruchi, Pudukottai, Ariyalur and Perambalur highlighting the frequent damages to crops by wild animals like wild boars, peacocks and monkeys.
He said that the meeting had showed him that compared to other places in Tamil Nadu, the human-wildlife conflict in Tiruchi, Pudukottai, Ariyalur and Perambalur districts was confined to smaller animals such as monkeys, peacocks, deer, wild boars and snakes. “We have got an indication of the way ahead to solve some of these problems from the farmers today,” he said and added that the feasibility of setting up a sanctuary for peacocks at Viralimalai based on the ideas shared in this meeting would be assessed.
K.N. Nehru, Minister for Municipal Administration, said that the natural water bodies in forests required protection to ensure ecological balance of the area. “We need to safeguard not just the new urban forests that we create but also the existing natural wealth of Tamil Nadu,” he said. “Planting trees on the banks of rivers and developing green beauty spots on empty tracts of land in Pudukottai will be useful to the environment.”
Farmers aired their views in an hour-long interaction. “The compensation for crop damage given by the government for crop damage caused by wild animals is often too late to be of any help to the farmers and should be disbursed faster,” said P. Ayyakannu, president, Desiya Thennindiya Nadhigal Inaippu Vivasayigal Sangam.
“It is heartbreaking to see our yield damaged overnight by wild boars after a year’s hard work,” said a sugarcane farmer. “Using solar powered electric fencing or ultrasonic audio alarms to keep them out is essential, but not affordable to all, so financial aid for this would be welcome.”
Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, Minister for School Education, and S.S.Sivasankar, Minister for Backward Classes Welfare, attended the meeting.
