Unending woes from lone tusker in Mudigere

A lone tusker has started causing panic among the residents in Gonibeedu and Banakal hobli in the taluk.

The tusker has damaged arecanut, coffee, paddy and pepper crops in Guthi, Kotrakere, Moolarahalli, Hesagodu, Bhairapura and Mekanagadde areas in the taluk. The tusker had trampled a woman at Guthi four months ago.

Already six people have lost their lives and 10 people have suffered injuries in an elephant attack in the taluk.

The lone tusker has been camping at Bhairapura-Mekanagadde area for the last one and a half year. Already, farmers have lost 70% of the crops in the rain. Now, the remaining crops are being destroyed by the elephant.

Local residents alleged that the Forest Department has failed to check the wild elephant menace.

The department had spent lakhs of rupees for cultivating fodder for elephants at Belagodu. Unfortunately, fodder has not been cultivated, alleged farmers. Though trenches were built at Bhairapura, Moolarahalli and Mekanagadde areas to check the straying of elephants into villages, the works have been taken up at the interest of the contractor. The elephants can easily cross the trenches, alleged residents.

Taluk Growers Association President Balakrishna Balooru alleged that the Forest Department has failed to check the elephant menace in the taluk. The compensation fixed for loss of crops in elephant attack is unscientific.”