Traders down shutters in support of protesting farmers at Talavadi Hills
Urging the Forest Department to take effective steps to prevent wild animals, particularly elephants, from venturing out of the forest and in to human habitations, over 250 traders in Talavadi hills downed shutters on Wednesday.
Traders in Mysuru Road, Talamalai Road, Kongahalli Road and Sathy Road, besides the bus stand, downed their shutters in solidarity with farmers who called a strike over the trampling to death of a 65yearold farmer by an elephant at Diginarai village on Tuesday. Since all shops barring medical shops were closed, roads wore a deserted look. However, bus service remained unaffected.
S. Manickam, a farmer, said wild elephants had killed three farmers in the current year besides causing extensive damage to standing crops, including banana plantations. Many fringe villages are located in the forest ranges of Talavadi and Jerahalli and the sharp increase in humananimal conflict in the past few years is a matter of concern. “People live in fear and we want protection for our lives and crops,” he added.
Kumara Ravikumar of Namathu Nilam Namathe Vivasayigal Nala Sangam demanded the digging of new elephantprooftrenches (EPTs), strengthening existing trenches and installing fences on the forest borders using rail barricades as done in the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve (BRT) in Karnataka’s Chamarajanagar district. Farmers have also demanded that the existing compensation for loss of human lives due to conflict be increased from the present ₹10 lakh to ₹15 lakh, besides providing additional vehicles to the Forest Department for stepping up patrolling.
Later, a petition was submitted by farmers, traders and residents to Talavadi Tahsildar Subramani urging to fulfill their demands.