Farmers in distress due to wild elephants

Virajpet, May 10: The farmers are in distress due to the elephant menace in various parts of Kodagu, said K.H. Hanif of Maithadi village, convener of the Karnataka Coffee Farmers Association.

Speaking at a press conference called by the association, he said that the lives of farmers in villages on the edge of the forest area in the district are being wasted in fighting wild animals, and even though they work hard to grow crops, the farmers do not believe that they will survive until harvest.

Wild elephants are sneaking into the country from the forest. Some farmers have built fences around their fields to protect their crops, but the wild elephants are trampling them.

Farmers are distraught as the crops they have spent thousands of rupees on have been destroyed. Even though they have brought this matter to the attention of the forest officials, it is of no use. Also, instead of giving meager compensation for the crops destroyed by wild elephants, the Forest Department should work to prevent wild elephants from crossing the forest and entering the country. But they are just playing a game and wasting time, he alleged.

Who listens to the farmers' plight here? Once wild elephants enter the fields, they not only destroy the crops, but also the solar fences, pump sets, and wire fences installed in the fields.

This leads to a loss of thousands of rupees along with the crops. We have to make a living from agriculture. In such a situation, how can we make a living if wild elephants enter the fields and destroy the crops just when the harvest is coming? The Forest Department itself needs to answer this, he said.

In the Mallamatti, Maithadi, Halugunda, Bellari Madu, Chembebellur, Devanageri, and Bhattamakki areas of Virajpet, an elephant has entered the gardens and destroyed the crops, coconut trees, banana plants, and coffee plants that farmers have grown for decades.

Not a single banana plant is visible in the banana plantation. The forest department has caught other elephants without catching this lone elephant. They are acting like elephants and chasing them from one side to another and then they become quiet. He warned that if the forest department does not take strict action, they will organize a massive protest in the coming days.

Citizens' Committee Convener Dr. I.R. Durgaprasad said that such incidents are happening every day due to the mischief of elephants and the tired farmers have ruined hundreds of acres of fields. With the continuous increase in the prices of daily necessities, the government has allowed corporate control in the education and medical fields, making these fields very expensive. Thus, it is becoming difficult for the common farmer to manage his family.

In this situation, the farmers are helpless due to the losses caused by the elephant attack. It will take years for them to recover from this attack. Meanwhile, they are constantly being harassed again and again. Governments, ministers, farmers and the common people are playing with their lives.

While people are grieving in their hardships, those in power are living a luxurious life with the people's money and wasting their time by making false promises to the people.

No matter which party comes to power, the problem of elephants haunting the farmers has not been solved. If someone dies due to an elephant attack, they come with the officials and give a cheque and leave. The farmers are fed up with this. The forest department should immediately work to drive the wild elephants back to the forest. Otherwise, they will protest before the forest department.

K.A. Hansa of Chamiyala said that if there is a loss in the garden, they give a small amount as alms. If there is a loss of one lakh rupees, the officials pretend to do a big favor and remain silent. The farmer has to wait for years to grow the attacked plants and trees to the same level.

A lot of expenses have to be spent, the government will not ask about his livelihood that has collapsed due to this loss. Therefore, the responsibility of protecting the forest and the animals and birds in it lies with the government. If anyone is harmed by the animals in their possession, the government is responsible for it, he said. Karnataka Coffee Farmers Association Co-Convenor T.T. Udayakumar said that the government should compensate the farmers for their losses. They should be careful about the forest and the animals in it and ensure that people are not harmed by them.

The government should not consider the patience of the farmers as their weakness. If the situation continues like this, the government will have to face a farmer's rebellion, he said.

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