MADIKERI: A coffee grower lost his life in a wild elephant attack in Kodagu on Thursday, marking the third death due to elephant attacks in the district within 12 days.
Enraged villagers, joined by hundreds of farmers from across the district, protested against the forest department and demanded that an FIR be lodged against the department for its alleged negligence in addressing human wildlife conflict.
Ganapathi alias Gappu (49), an estate owner in Siddapura, is the victim. On Thursday morning, he was visiting his estate along with a few labourers when a lone wild elephant attacked him and allegedly trampled him to death.
This is the third death reported in 12 days after a 19 year old girl and a 50 year old woman were killed recently in the Madenadu and Valnur limits of the district.
In three months, a total of five people have lost their lives in wild elephant attacks in the district, inviting the wrath of villagers and farmers across Kodagu.
Hundreds of villagers, supported by farmers from across the district, gathered at the incident spot in Siddapura and protested against the forest department.
They demanded that an FIR be registered against the department for its alleged negligence in curbing wildlife movement into villages.
The protestors did not budge from the spot until late evening and demanded immediate policy changes to address and resolve the conflict. They alleged that tigers, wild boars, gaurs and elephants were entering villages frequently and demanded a permanent solution.
The spot was visited by CCF Sonal Vrishni, DCF Abhishek and other officials, who were taken to task by the villagers.
Meanwhile, speaking to TNIE, CCF Sonal confirmed that an early warning system was in place and an alert message had been circulated at 6.30 am about elephant movement in the vicinity. “All the deaths have been accidents and remedial measures are being taken to control the conflict,” she said.
She explained that a permanent camp of the Rapid Response Team has been deployed at Made limits where the 16 year old lost her life. She added that other conflict mitigation projects, including installation of railway barricades, are not feasible in the region due to the steep terrain and vast forest area.
Further, she said that 6.9 km of railway barricade work will be taken up at Maldare limits near Siddapura and that a DPR is being prepared for a railway barricade project in the rest of the Siddapura region.
“This will curb the conflict to some extent. All efforts are being made to find a permanent solution. Over 15,000 villagers from across conflict zones have registered for the early warning system and the movements of elephants are being monitored constantly,” she shared.