COIMBATORE: A shortage of staff is affecting the effective functioning of the Coimbatore forest range, resulting in frequent elephant intrusion in residential areas and farmland.
In the early hours of Tuesday, despite information of an elephant attack, forest staff allegedly failed to reach a house at North Vinayakar Temple Street in Dhaliyur near Pannimadai.
The house owner Nagaraj alleged that had forest team arrived on time, the damages caused by the jumbos could have been prevented. His son Sudarsan told TNIE, “Initially two elephants, including a calf, damaged the maize field adjacent to the house and then visited our house when we (four of our family) were sleeping inside at 1.30 am. The animals tried to enter the house after damaging the main door. Subsequently, the animal using its trunk damaged the roof tiled house and the windows along with the cow shed.”
“We informed a forest guard about the elephant attack and the staff told us that they are in Madathur which is only 3 km from Dhaliyur and assured to reach soon. However, they arrived at 3 am. By that time, two elephants, along with another two elephants, again reached our house at 2.30 am. They went into the forest after half an hour as locals burst crackers,” added Sudarsan.
Manokaran a farmer from Kalaiyanur and a functionary of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association appealed to the forest department to protect the crops from animal attacks and ensure no life would lost. Sources in the forest department said they are working with less staff strength and are engaged in chasing away the animals across the range since this is the peak of the elephant migration period.
“The state government should assess the reality and fill vacancies at the earliest. Also, proper vehicle support and equipment like torch lights and boots should also be provided to the staff,” said an official.