One more kumki to join conflict mitigation effort

The elephants, Vijay and Bomman from MTR along with Cheran and John, the two kumki elephants from Chadivayal elephant camp were deployed to drive away two wild elephants straying out of the forests in Thadagam and Anaikatty area, on Coimbatore outskirts over the last one month. 

Meanwhile, John was taken back to the Chadivayal camp for rest as veterinarians found symptoms of musth in the animal. To compensate its absence Wasim, an expert Kumki from MTR is expected to join the conflict mitigation duty in a dayor two. 

After presiding over a meeting with farmers, Chief Conservator of Forests Deepak Srivastava said that the kumkis will continue their operation to drive away straying wild elephants into the jungle. 

“If efforts to chase them away prove futile even after three days, then the two wild elephants will be captured under sedation and translocated into the deep forests. One more kumki from MTR will soon join the operation,” he said.  

Tamil Nadu Farmers Association general secretary P Kandasamy said that the farmers have incurred a heavy loss due to frequent crop raids by wild jumbos. “The elephants have caused heavy damage to the coconut trees. The government gives a mere Rs 500 for a damaged coconut tree whereas a maximum compensation of Rs 32,000 is given per coconut tree affected during erection of electric towers,” he said. The farmers sought the Forest Department to increase compensation for crops damaged by wild elephants. They also threatened to resort to a massive protest if the Forest Department fails to curb the animals from straying into agricultural fields.

Earlier, the farmers opposed the participation of representatives of NGOs in the meeting called by the Forest Department. Following this, the officials held a separate meeting with members of the NGOs, who expressed their reservations against capturing the wild elephants. In the last month, two persons — a Rapid Response Team (RRT) employee involved in anti-depredation activity and a milk vendor — were trampled to death by the straying wildelephants.