State govt aid for Sekayu Park after elephant rampage
THE Terengganu government will approve an allocation to the management of the Sekayu Agriculture Park which suffered damages during four instances of elephant rampage for over a month since early February.
State Agriculture, Agro-based Industry and Rural Development Committee chairman Dr Azman Ibrahim said the government will approve the allocation once it receives a report on the destruction.
“I was told that the damage is around RM15,000.
“The aid will depend on several factors,” he said, adding that he hoped that the Terengganu Wildlife Protection and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) would overcome the elephant rampage problem.
The four cases of elephant rampage between Feb 4 and March 4 resulted in the uprooting of 199 trees and damage to the fencing at two locations.
A check by Bernama revealed that the entrance to the recreation pond at the water theme park in the agriculture park was blocked by uprooted trees and an uprooted coconut tree left at the bottom of the pond.
The recreation pond has yet to be opened to the public following the monsoon season as repairs had to be carried out to ensure the safety of visitors.
Dr Azman, the state assemblyman for Jabi, told Bernama the elephants had also rampaged through several villages located close to the agriculture park.
“Usually, Perhilitan will chase the elephants back into the jungle, failing which it will relocate the wild animals with the help of tame elephants.
“It can be a costly affair but the state government has the Wildlife Trust Fund to finance the operation to prevent further loss to the farmers and villagers,” he said.