Speaking to reporters, Expert Committee Head Dr B Gangwar, after visiting wild elephant menace region of Thithimathi, Maldare, said: “We will visit Sirsi in Uttara Kannada and Belgaum to study wild elephant menace within 15 days. Then we will submit a report to the Centre.”
High Court had taken up suo moto case on the death of elephants at Kabini backwater and had directed Centre and state governments to constitute an expert committee. The suggestion from the farmers and growers that it is better to grow alternative crops instead of sugarcane, banana and Mekkejola near forests will also be submitted to the Centre. The team had collected opinions of growers who have lost crops at Thithimathi and Maldare region.
Grower Cheranda Nanda Subbaiah said “in the backdrop of crop loss, government should provide premium facility to coffee loss. Government should provide 20 to 50 per cent compensation for the loss.”
Chennai Tobbacco Board Director Dr Manoharan, Ministry of Agriculture Assistant Director K K Das, Sirsi Forest College Dean Dr Janagowdar, Agriculture Deputy Director Mohan, Ponnampet Forest College Dean Dr N A Prakash were part of the expert team. Prior to visiting Kodagu, the team had visited Kundlakere of Gundlupete in Chamarajanagara, Odeyanapura, Nugu of H D Kote taluk.