Terror Grips Villages as Elephant Menace Escalates, Mango Trees are Uprooted

Tirupati: Inhabitants of villages close to the Koundinya wildlife sanctuary and other forests in Chittoor district are living in constant fear of elephant attacks.

Incidents of elephant herds raiding agricultural lands and residential areas have become alarmingly frequent. The menace severely impacted the farming community that has suffered losses in crores due to widespread destruction of crops.

Mandals like Pulicherla, Sadum, Somala, Bangarupalem and Irala in the region have borne the brunt. Curiously, the menace has been most unbearable in the Punganur Assembly segment represented by forest minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy.

Elephants are increasingly straying out of forests into villages and farms, poaching on crops, destroying property and taking human lives.

The loss to farmers was compounded by the poor mango yield this year. The yield fell to 20 per cent of normal levels due to the erratic weather. Mango prices have skyrocketed, though.

Elephants have destroyed over 150 tonnes of mangoes worth around Rs.1 crore across mandals like Pulicherla, Sadum and Somala. Hundreds of trees have been uprooted in these areas.

Elephant herds have also ravaged 55 acres of tomato crop in Somala, Sadum, Pulicherla and other mandals of Punganur segment, where agriculture is the main means of income. Incidents of farmers, farm labourers and shepherds being injured or even killed in elephant attacks have increased in mandals like Punganur, Puthalapattu, Peddapanjani, Palamaner, V Kota and Kuppam.

Aggrieved farmers allege that the government has turned a blind eye to their plight and did not take remedial steps. Nor did it provide adequate compensation for their losses.

Farmers want immediate action from the forest department and district administration to address their issues and provide relief commensurate with the actual losses they incurred.

“We must be paid compensation based on current crop prices, rather than offering a nominal compensation,” they said.