KANNIYAKUMARI: As elephants damaged hundreds of banana and coconut trees near the foothills of Thelanthi in Kanniyakumari, affected farmers are demanding compensation from the forest department.
Farmers are already affected by various other factors, but farmers at and near the foothills are more affected by the problems caused by animals.
Recently, banana farmers at Thidal in Bhoothapandy forest range faced the wrath of elephants. Now, farmers at Thelanthi at Thadagai beat face losses as elephants damaged hundreds of banana and coconut trees.
A farmer A Micheal Richard said that a herd of elephants entered the farmlands at the foothills of Aanaikal Konam and Chimidar pallam at Thelanthi on Saturday night, damaging banana and coconut trees.
He noted his matured 60 banana and 18 coconut trees, which were more than an year old were damaged by the elephants. Urging for compensation, the farmers noted that wild boars were also a threat to crops. Another farmer S Pitchai said that elephants had damaged 75 banana trees and 7 coconut trees in their family farm.
BJP functionary M Rajini Kanth said that as elephants had already damaged many banana trees at Thidal and now around 3,000 banana trees and more than 50 coconut trees were damaged by elephants at Thelanthi.
Urging the forest department to provide Rs 500 per banana tree, he said the authorities should prevent elephants from entering into farmlands by placing fences.
Forest department officials said they visited the area and were assessing the damage caused by elephants.
Based on the instruction of District Forest Officer E Prasanth and Bhoothandy Forest Ranger SV Raveendran, a special team was formed in a week. The team would be involved in preventing elephants entering into farmlands from Sunday night.