COIMBATORE: Farmers from Lingapuram near Sirumugai alleged that the forest department is engaging inexperienced youths to drive away Baahubali and other elephants that stray into groves and farmlands.
“For the third time in the last week, elephants entered farmlands in our village on Sunday night. We spoke to the forest officials, but they blamed us saying we left banana waste which attracts the animals. The officials said they have diverted the animals inside the forest at night, but it is not so as the animals went into the forest on their own in the morning,” said a woman farmer.
“We suspect inexperienced forest staff are being deployed in Lingapuram for diverting elephants. It was clear on Sunday that a few persons who were engaged to divert the animals were youths who could be college students. Instead of diverting animals inside the forest, they diverted them into the nearby farm,’ she added. More than 60 banana trees were consumed by the elephants.
“I agree that the Sirumugai forest range staff are not available in the last four days in Lingapuram, which is used by hundreds of farmers and motorists residing in Kandhavayal and Ooliyur, etc. I have requested the forest department to tighten vigil in Lingapuram compared to other areas. However, the staff are tightening their vigil only for a few hours,” alleged P Prakash, a DMK functionary.
On Monday, at 5 pm, a lone tusker came close to the Lingapuram check post, creating panic among motorists. Responding to this, Sirumugai forest range officials said they have been engaging additional staff and taking steps to mitigate human-animal conflict.