CHITTOOR: A herd of elephants has been damaging crops and plantations in various villages of Palamaneru and Ramakuppam mandals of the Chittoor district creating flutters in the region. Pengaragunta, Vadduru and other hamlets in Palamaner rural mandal and Gollapalle and its neighbouring hamlets in Ramakuppam mandal are among the affected villages due to elephant menace.
According to the reports, the elephant herd was first spotted in Gollapalle in the late hours on Friday, when they were roaming around the fields.‘Pachyderms, which ventured into the farmlands on Saturday night, had continued attacking them even on Sunday and damaged a large extent of crop fields. The same herd is believed to have been wreaking havoc in Pengaragunta, Vadduru and other villages in Palamaner rural, where paddy and fodder crops were damaged to a large extent,’ said the villagers.
Farmers and villagers alleged that despite informing the forest official several times about the elephant menace, nothing concrete has been done yet to prevent the elephants from venturing into their farmlands. The forest officials, however, maintained that they had roped in drum-beaters and trackers and took measures to drive away the wild tuskers back into the forest as soon as they were informed by the villagers about its movement.
It may be noted here that, in a bid to prevent the wild tuskers from entering into human habitations, forest staff have been managing 11 base camps across the Chittoor district. Nearly 50 forest staff are deputed for tracking the movements of elephants. Minister for Forest, Environment and Energy Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy directed the officials to set up three more base camps where elephants are creating menace. Now, there are 5 base camps in Kuppam, four in Palamaneru, and two in Chittoor areas serving in tracking the movement of elephants.
‘Nearly 80-90 elephants are present in the forest area of Chittoor district. Works are on a fast pace for the construction of 6-kilometre solar fencing in Palameru area. Further, permissions are granted for setting construction of 15-kilometre solar fencing works in the district. We have been taking all measures for preventing the elephants from entering into habitation. We have also been providing compensation for both human and crop loss to victims without any delay,’ said a senior official from the forest department. Residents of forest-bordering villages are forced to spend sleepless nights as wild elephants are frequent to human habitation.