KOZHIKODE: Wild elephants are posing a threat to the plantations and crops of farmers at Tarippa Mala near Vilangad and Mullabath at Kakkatt in the district. A jumbo destroyed the crops of Cheriya Kelappan, Naduvilpurayil Chandu, Kunjaan Tarippa and Chandran Madanjery at Tarippa Mala in the wee hours of Wednesday.
The crops included pepper, arecanut and banana. A few days back, another jumbo had destroyed the crops at nearby Mullabath. Though the forest personnel and local people turned away the elephant, it is feared that it has not returned to the forest.
In October, a meeting chaired by the district forest officer had decided to erect power fencing in the area to deter the animals. "Not only elephants, but also wild boars and pigs are entering our plantations at regular intervals. As the area is isolated and not thickly populated, there is difficulty in distracting the animals," lamented Kunjaan Tarippa.
The farmers have demanded a permanent solution to the issue. The animals stay in acres of land which were bought by private parties in deep forest years ago.
Sometimes, wild boars sneak into the neighbouring area where people reside.
