So far seventeen humanlives have been lost due to elephant rage
Raging elephant have so far takenlives of 17 villagers
Krishnagiri: As many as 17 human lives have been lost since 2012 due to the continuing elephant rage in Krishnagiri district. The forest department has laid elephant-proof trenches to prevent elephants from entering the villages on the forest fringes. Yet, the elephants strike with increasing frequency and the human toll continues to rise alarmingly. The Cauvery north wild life sanctuary (CNWLS), spanning 500 sq km, was created recently to protect 230 elephants and other wild animals here. But villagers say that neither the trenches nor the forest deparmtment’s chasing strategies have kept the elephants at bay.
“The elephant trenches failed to stop elephants from entering the villages. So, the forest department should find some other solution to save villagers from being killed by elephants,” said M. Devaraj, 30, lecturer in a private college and resident of Maharajakadai.Activists claim that forest areas are dry with inadequate waterholes. The acacia trees dotting the Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri forest divisions also create trouble.
Acacia pods cause dehydration in animals and they feel extreme thirst after eating acacia pods. In such a situation, they enter the villages for water, leading to man-animal conflict, they said.
A 17-year-old female elephant died a few days ago after drinking muddy water in Krishnagiri. Animal activists urge the state to approve the forest department’s proposal for removing acacia trees to save villagers and elephants.
Forest officials argue that after laying the trenches, the incidence of wild animals entering human habitations has declined. According to them, a few cases are reported in places where villagers had damaged trenches for their cattle to enter the forest. They asked the villagers not to damage the trenches and also want the villagers to help them maintain them.
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