COIMBATORE: Heeding to requests from the forest department, a farmer from Samayapuram of Mettupalayam has disconnected solar power supply and will soon remove a fence he had put up to protect his banana plantation and facilitate free movement of elephants. Forest officials contacted the farmer, who wished to remain anonymous, after locals captured a video of ‘Baahubali’ elephant standing confused and struggling to proceed further as the farm which he used to pass through had been fenced with solar power.
Forest officials told the farmer that Samayapuram has been listed as one of the 42 places in the state government’s draft elephant corridor policy.
Following this, the farmer disconnected the supply from the solar panel to the fence. A senior official said, “The farmer had fenced only in his land, not in the elephant corridor. We can take action if the place is announced as elephant corridor officially. However he agreed to disconnect solar power supply considering the welfare of Baahubali since the animal is not aggressive.”
The official added that they have been monitoring the area regularly and farmers are avoiding power supply to fences. “More workers have been engaged at night to prevent banana plantations from being damaged by Baahubali. Our monitoring station is located in Samayapuram. We will reach the area and chase away animals as soon as we receive information about elephant movements,” said the official
The officials are checking all groves in the area to ensure farmers do not use direct current to power their fences. Baahubali and other elephants used to roam in Mettupalayam and Sirumugai forest ranges. They cross from Odanthurai reserve forest to Ulikkal reserve forest or Nellimalai reserve forest by crossing the Mettupalayam - Ooty road.