Fear of elephants confines girls to homes at Irulapatti, locals seek safe transport
KRISHNAGIRI: Frequent elephant movement near Irulapatti village in Bommathathanur panchayat near Denkanikottai has affected the daily life of residents especially girl students as they are not able to walk to school fearing elephant attacks.
Irulapatti village has more than 40 tribal families, of which, three girl children studying in Class 9, from Government High School in Bommathathanur village, did not go to school due to frequent elephant movement, especially in December and January.
A Bhavani, a class 9 student told TNIE, “Most of the boys go to school using two-wheelers. As some of our parents are daily wage workers, they use the two-wheeler, so our parents cannot drop us at school. We are forced to walk for around two kilometres (one way) daily. However, if we go to school during the elephant movement, who will protect us from its attack? Hence, we need a bus facility to our village and if we have it, we can go to school regularly.”
Similarly, G Jothi (28), a villager, said, “A government bus will reach Bommathathanur, only if bus services to our village are extended and it can go to Kaalepalli via our village and can return to Bommathathanur. Our children’s safety is important for us, thus to evade elephant attack and for other reasons, a bus facility is necessary for us.”
V Venkatachalam, Rayakottai forest ranger, said, “We cannot say the exact time of elephant movement near the village because of winter. Elephant movement is delayed as they are unable to see clearly. So, a permanent solution should be provided to facilitate students.
Bommathathanur Government High School teacher Veeramangalam Babu said, “Our school has around 320 students. Students from Kadur, Irulapatti, and other areas are managing to come to school if they have two-wheelers during elephant movement. Others are absent during elephant movement because of a lack of transport facilities. On Wednesday over 15 elephants were seen crossing near Bommathathanur. So, bus facility will solve the problem.”
Chief Education Officer (in-charge) A Muniraj told TNIE that, he will discuss the issue with the forest department.