Will prevent wild elephants from entering farm lands: Forest Department assures farmers

Forest Department will soon take up maintenance work of elephant-proof trench (EPT) in Shenbhagathoppu area to prevent elephants from invading the farmlands along the Western Ghats in Virudhunagar district.

Addressing farmers, Deputy Director, Srivilliputtur Meghamalai Tiger Reserve, P. Devaraj, said that efforts would be taken to revive the old EPT which was dug up some 10 years back.

The trench had been damaged due to rain over the years.

He was replying to Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam district president A. Vijayamurugan, who raised the issue of frequent raiding by wild elephants at the monthly farmers’ grievances redressal meeting, chaired by Virudhunagar Collector V. P. Jeyaseelan, held here on Friday.

Mr. Vijayamurugan said that some 10 elephants were camping at Athithundu beat for the past one month. A lone tusker was posing threat to the farmers and farm hands were refusing to take up work in the farmlands in the vicinity. During the discussion, the Collector asked the officials of Department of Forest and Department of Agricultural Engineering to take steps to lay solar electric fencing for farmlands to prevent wild animals invasion.

The Collector also instructed the officials to remove wild growth of Prosopis juliflora in the district and to curb breeding of wild boars that often destroy the crops.

He also sought a report on encroachments in the tanks in Virudhunagar, Srivilliputtur and Rajapalayam.

Farmer Ram Pandian petitioned that sewage from Rosalpatti and Sivagnapuram and untreated underground drainage from Virudhunagar municiplaity were being let into the Kowshika River which was polluting the water in Kullursanthai, Golwarpatti and Irukkangudi dams.

He wanted the district administration to ensure that the sewage treatment plant in Virudhunagar town was properly operated.

Farmers also sought compensation under crop insurance for damaged shallots and cotton in Kariyapatti region.

They also complained about electric poles leaning and overhead wires dangling dangerously at lower height in the farmlands in Kariyapatti.

District Revenue Officer, R. Rajendran, Joint Director of Agriculture, Vijaya, Personal Assistant (Agriculture) to Collector, Nachiyarammal, were among those who were present.

Published - October 18, 2024 08:42 pm IST