Coimbatore: The elephant menace has resurfaced in the Coimbatore forest division following drought inside the forest. Farmers in 30 villages close to the Western Ghats including in Theethipallayam, Kupanoor, Karamadai and Sadivayal have cultivated maize and banana, both of which are favorites of the elephants.
Following drought inside the forest in the Western Ghats, efforts were made to fill the tanks constructed by the forest department close to the forest border.
However, wild elephants enter human habitat close to the forest fringe areas, triggering panic among the farmers and tribals.
Recently, a month ago, an elder tribal was killed by an elephant when he walked close to the forest area for open defecation. Following similar incidents, In the early hours of May 2, a single elephant entered the farm house of 55-year-old farmer Kathirvel at Kanuvai-Kalayanoor. According to a forest source, Kathirvel and his brother Anandhan, 48, had cultivated tomato and this was ready for harvesting. The single elephant ransacked the crops.
At around 4 am, the elephant headed towards Kathirvel’s house where it flung the bike of Anandhan parked in front of the house and damaged the asbestos sheet roof constructed over the vehicles. Kathirvel hid under the cot along with his family. When the elephant broke open the front door of the house, neighbors came running and chased it with fire torches.
On receiving information from the farmers, forest department staff rushed to the spot.
A team of forest AP watchers has been deployed to drive the elephant deep into the forest.
