Residents of Arasalu, Bellur, Thammadihalli, Sirigere, Heddaripura and neighbouring villages in Shivamogga taluk staged a protest in front of the Sirigere Range Forest Office in Shivamogga taluk, on Tuesday, urging the government to tackle the elephant menace in the region and stop issuing eviction notices to cultivators.
The protesters said that wild elephants damaged their crops, including maize, areca, and banana. Whenever a group of elephants passes through a plantation, hundreds of well-grown areca and banana plants are damaged, causing huge losses to the growers.
Besides this, the farmers said the movement of wild elephants in the area had created a sense of fear among the public. People are worried about their safety. A farmer was killed by an elephant near Puradal village in July this year. They urged the department to stop elephants from entering human habitat.
The protesters also appealed to the Forest Department to stop issuing eviction notices to cultivators. The people had been cultivating the land for several years. They staged a dharna on the road in front of the office when the officers delayed meeting them and listening to their complaints.
Villagers Praveen, Lakshmikanth, Devaraj Matthikoppa, Mahendra Bukkivare and others led the protest.
Published - October 08, 2024 07:59 pm IST