Coffee planters took out a protest march in Sakleshpur on Thursday demanding that the Forest Department capture all elephants causing trouble in parts of Hassan, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu districts. The elephants have been causing damage to crops, besides posing threat to human lives, they said.
The protesters under the banner of Hassan District Planters’ Association and Karnataka Growers’ Federation submitted a memorandum to senior officers at the office of the Assistant Conservator of Forests.
Later, senior officers of the department visited the office of Hassan District Planters’ Association in the town and spoke to the office-bearers. Dilip Kumar Das, Additional PCCF, addressing the planters, said the department was aware of the problems faced by them. Permission had been granted to capture two elephants, which have been causing trouble in Sakleshpur and Alur taluks, immediately, he said adding that the capture and relocation of the remaining elephants would be discussed.
