Farmers incur huge losses as wild elephants destroy crops in Banakal

Mudigere, Dec 14: Farmers in remote areas of Banakal hobli in the malnad district of Chikkamagaluru, who have already incurred huge losses during recent floods, have now been tasked with protecting their crops from elephants.

After the end of monsoon, wild elephants have started straying into the villages in some areas of malnad. Many herds have been entering fields and plantations for past few weeks and destroying standing crops.

The fresh incident occurred in the intervening night of December 12 and 13 at Sabbenahalli area of Banakal wherein at least two wild elephants raided agriculture lands.

According to Godwin Govias, a resident of Sabbenahalli, the jumbos have destroyed paddy crop in one acre of land, banana plantation, coffee plants and areca nut trees in two acres of land belonging to him.

The villagers are expressing their frustrated over what they call the Forest Department’s “incompetence” to check the wild elephant menace in the region.

“The farmers in this area are already in distress for various reasons including recent floods and slash in the prices. The elephant menace has aggravated their problem. If the Forest Department fails to chase elephants back to the forest, then they may continue to destroy crops,” said Ganesh, a local resident.

Padme Gowda, Chandre Gowda, Ramesh Gowda and other local farmers also expressed similar fear. Schoolchildren also venture out of their houses with the fear of elephant attacks, said Yashodamma, a homemaker.