Kodagu Farmers Propose Solutions to Wild Elephant Damage

Madikeri: Over the past four years, wild elephants have caused significant damage to agricultural and plantation crops in Kodagu, affecting coffee, arecanut, banana, and coconut yields. In response, a meeting of villagers, elders, and growers was held on Tuesday under the leadership of Kollira Bopanna, President of the B Shettigeri gram panchayat.

The meeting, the first of its kind, resolved to submit a proposal to the government to address the elephant problem. It was decided to contact senior forest officials, including Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre through MLA AS Ponnanna, and the Chief Minister through State Wildlife Board member Sanket Poovaiah, to seek a permanent solution.

Bopanna emphasized that temporary measures such as driving elephants away are ineffective. He proposed repairing damaged elephant trenches, identifying and closing entry points, and installing permanent rail barricades.

Sanket Poovaiah noted that the issue is worsening and detailed plans to install rail barricades across 250 km in the state. This project will be carried out in phases. Srinivas Naik, Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), assured that local teams will be involved in repairs and operations to manage the situation.

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