TN farmers worried as wild animals destroy standing crops

Chennai, May 29 (BPNS)

Farmers in districts like Erode, Perambalur, and Nilgiris are worried after the wild animals including deer and wild boar destroyed the crops that are about to be harvested.

 With good rains during the last year and almost all dams in the state abundant with water, there has been a good crop of millets, paddy and maize. However farmers told BPNS that even though there was good produce the presence of deer and wild boars have led to the destruction of these crops.

 K. Krishnasamy, a farmer in Perambalur while speaking to BPNS said, “ I had sown millet in a 4 acre farm and it was a good crop. However, wild deer that forayed into my field at night destroyed the crops. More than half of the millets have been destroyed by the deer and at times wild boar. I have already complained to the forest department and officials are expected to reach my farm and conduct an inspection. I am expecting compensation from the state government regarding this.”

Farmers want the forest department to help them in electric fencing of the farms. However, forest department is reluctant as after the death of wild elephants due to electrocution in Salem district recently, there have been complaints that the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution company (Tangedco) is not properly conducting inspection of these fences and that the high power passing through these fences have led to the death of wild animals including elephants.

Periyakaruppan, a farmer at Salem while speaking to BPNS said, “The state forest department has to do something to prevent the wild animals entering our fields and destroying our crops. Providing compensation is one thing and preventing the destruction of crops is another thing.”

 With the menace of wild animals foraying into the fields continuing and the human- animal conflict reaching its peak, the farmers are urging the forest department to provide them security and to preserve the crops.

In villages like Nattaramangalam, Chetikulam, Eachankadu, Marudhadi, Padalur, Irur, and Kurur, in Permbalur district, Shallots have been the major crop. Farmers in these villages have been growing Shallot crops for three times a year but the wild animals entering the farms and destroying the crops have led to the farmers suffering heavily.

Shanmugavadivelu, a farmer of Shallot while speaking to BPNS said, “The wild boars enter our farmland and destroy it. They  don’t eat the shallots but destroy the entire crop. We have to check whether the crop insurance is working and we are expecting compensation from the forest department.”