Farmers urge forest dept to find permanent solution to elephant scare near Krishnagiri

KRISHNAGIRI: Residents of villages near Veppanapalli in Krishnagiri district have urged the forest department to find a permanent solution to elephants entering residential areas and agricultural fields. Elephants stray into agricultural fields and residential areas due to severe drought in nearby forest areas.The residents have urged the forest department to intensify surveillance and patrolling until the end of summer, provide adequate water and fodder inside forest areas and take lasting measures to keep the elephants within deeper forest areas.In regions such as Konkanapalli and Maharajakadai in Hosur forest division, elephants often move near human settlements. More than 10 people died in elephant-related incidents in these areas in the past. Farmers said elephants damaged crops including paddy, banana, tomato, mango and jackfruit in villages like Konkanapalli, Sikaramagala, K Kottur, Bhoothimudlu, Neralagiri, Kollapalli, Sikaralapalli, Dhamandarapalli, Naralappally, Poonguruthi, Thinnoor, Belavarthy and Chinthakampally."We were forced to guard our fields through the night to stop elephant intrusions," said M Suresh, a farmer. He said elephant movement near residential areas made it unsafe to walk on village roads.