COIMBATORE: A 40-year-old makhna elephant that was relocated to Manomboly from the outskirts of Coimbatore city is camping at Saralapathy near Pollachi for the last one month. Farmers in the village said the elephant has been damaging crops, besides instilling fear among locals, and appealed to the forest department for help.
After farmers complained that the animal had damaged mango and coconut trees, the forest department stationed three kumki elephants in the village, but the makhna allegedly made friends with them and shared their green fodder. Forest officials deny it said the animal got close to the kumkis which is not usual for wild elephants.
R Manikandan, a farmer, told TNIE that the animal had damaged 15 mango trees and some coconut trees. He added “Our children walk one km to the bus stop to attend summer coaching camp and return to the grove daily, But they are in constant fear of confronting the elephant. The milkman saw the elephant in close quarters and took to his heels recently.”
Kumkis Chinnathambi, Muthu and Rajavardhan were sent back to Kozhikamuthi camp after they showed symptoms of ‘musth’ on Saturday, sources said, adding another set of kumkis would be deployed in Saralapathy soon.