Former AIADMK Minister SP Velumani submitted a petition to the Coimbatore District Collector, demanding action against wild elephant attacks in Thondamuthur's Viraliyur area. He criticized the Forest Department's response to the ongoing conflicts.
Coimbatore: Former AIADMK Minister SP Velumani has submitted a petition to the Coimbatore District Collector, demanding immediate action to address the increasing wild elephant attacks in the Thondamuthur area, particularly in Viraliyur. Velumani strongly criticized the Forest Department's handling of the situation, accusing them of negligence and inadequate response to the ongoing human-elephant conflicts.
Velumani stated, "The elephant problem has been persistent in Thondamuthur, Goundampalayam, Mettupalayam, and Valparai areas. Crops are not safe, and people's lives are at risk due to frequent elephant intrusions." He highlighted a recent incident where an elephant attacked a priest in Viraliyur the previous night. In an attempt to drive away the elephant, two people were injured, resulting in the death of a young man.
The former minister further added, "This morning, the elephant attacked three more people. If the Forest Department had taken proper action to drive away the elephant during the night, this morning's incident could have been avoided. The Forest Department is acting nominally without taking effective measures, and there's no proper allocation of funds for this purpose."
Velumani emphasized the severity of the situation, saying, "One life has been lost today, and another person is in critical condition receiving treatment. Others are being treated for fractures in the hospital. We have been continuously stressing the need for action to prevent such incidents."
He also pointed out the need for continuous maintenance of trenches and electric fences to keep elephants at bay. Velumani expressed concern over the lack of adequate compensation for farmers whose crops are damaged by elephants and called for increased relief measures.
"The elephant is still in the same area. The Forest Department should take immediate action to relocate this elephant to another location as it has become accustomed to the area," Velumani urged.
In conclusion, Velumani accused the Forest Department of being lethargic in their approach and demanded that they abandon their negligent attitude and provide necessary protection to the people living in affected areas.
Velumani stated, "The elephant problem has been persistent in Thondamuthur, Goundampalayam, Mettupalayam, and Valparai areas. Crops are not safe, and people's lives are at risk due to frequent elephant intrusions." He highlighted a recent incident where an elephant attacked a priest in Viraliyur the previous night. In an attempt to drive away the elephant, two people were injured, resulting in the death of a young man.
The former minister further added, "This morning, the elephant attacked three more people. If the Forest Department had taken proper action to drive away the elephant during the night, this morning's incident could have been avoided. The Forest Department is acting nominally without taking effective measures, and there's no proper allocation of funds for this purpose."
Velumani emphasized the severity of the situation, saying, "One life has been lost today, and another person is in critical condition receiving treatment. Others are being treated for fractures in the hospital. We have been continuously stressing the need for action to prevent such incidents."
He also pointed out the need for continuous maintenance of trenches and electric fences to keep elephants at bay. Velumani expressed concern over the lack of adequate compensation for farmers whose crops are damaged by elephants and called for increased relief measures.
"The elephant is still in the same area. The Forest Department should take immediate action to relocate this elephant to another location as it has become accustomed to the area," Velumani urged.
In conclusion, Velumani accused the Forest Department of being lethargic in their approach and demanded that they abandon their negligent attitude and provide necessary protection to the people living in affected areas.