Tamil Nadu: Farmers allege that due to the Karnataka Forest Department’s efforts to drive away wild elephants, large numbers of wild elephants are camping on barren land in the Thalavadi Hills during the day.
Rain-fed crops are grown in Arulvadi and Guruburundi villages on the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka state border. More than 20 wild elephants, which escaped from the Karnataka forest area on the state border, have been roaming the area during the day for the past few days.
Farmers say that the elephants are coming to Tamil Nadu because the state Forest Department is driving away wild elephants from Karnataka. Due to the wild elephants camping on barren land during the day, farmers are facing difficulties in cultivating their orchards.
Furthermore, livestock owners, including goat and cow herders, are avoiding taking their animals to the area for grazing due to fear of elephants. Farmers say that when the Karnataka Forest Department drives them away, the wild elephants move into the Athukatti Forest Area in Tamil Nadu and then camp on barren land in the Arulwadi area before returning to the Karnataka Forest Area.
Residents of the area have requested the Forest Department to take action to prevent the wild elephants camping in the area from returning.
When asked about this, the Jeeragali Forest Department said that the Forest Department is monitoring the movement of the wild elephants.
