The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Forest Dept. comes to rescue of farmers under threat from wild elephants

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Wednesday, Dec 22, 2010
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Forest Dept. comes to rescue of farmers under threat from wild elephants

Staff Reporter

Distributes assistance of Rs. 32 lakh as compensation to 669 farmers from loss of crops

Photos: N. Bashkaran

Compensation:A.K. Ulaganathan (third left), District Forest Officer, gives cheque to a farmer in Krishnagiri district on Tuesday. K. Rajendran (second left) Assistant Conservator of Forests, K. P. Chinnaiyan (left) Ranger, Krishnagiri and R. Ravichandran (right), Denkanikottai, are in the picture. (Right) R. Madheswaran, Forest Ranger, Hosur pointing to the progress of the trench work along the Reserve Forests in Sanamavu village, near Hosur.

DENKANIKOTTAI (KRISHNAGIRI): The Forest Department has distributed Rs. 32 lakh to 669 farmers from 22 villages for crop loss due to wild elephants at Denkanikottai in Krishnagiri district on Tuesday. The compensation was given for the loss incurred by the farmers cultivating crops in the periphery of the Reserve Forests for the last one-and-half years. The compensation varied from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 5,000.

The cheques were distributed by A.K. Ulaganathan, District Forest Officer, in the presence of K. Rajendran, Assistant Conservator of Forests. Mr. Ulaganathan told the reporters that the Forest Department was taking efforts to minimise the crop loss due to wild elephants.

The department had so far distributed Rs. 89 crore to 2,622 farmers. The department also erected solar fencing to a length of 125 km along the borders of the Reserve Forests in Denkanikottai, Anchetti, Royakottai and Jawalagiri in the district. The department was also taking up measures to dig trenches for about 60 km on the borders of the Reserve Forests.

The work on digging of trench along the Reserve Forests in Sanamavu near Hosur for 15 km has also commenced. The department also planned to keep salt mineral cakes to woo the elephants near the water bodies where the pachyderms regularly visit to quench their thirst.

During the special drive conducted recently, as many as seven illegal weapons (countrymade guns) were seized by the joint operation of the STF, Forest and Police departments, Mr. Ulaganathan said.

R. Ramachandran, Ranger, Denkanikottai and K.P. Chinnayan, Ranger, Krishnagiri were also present during the press conference.

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