Farmers seeks protection from elephant attacks

Scores of farmers affiliated to Tamil Nadu Farmers Association, today staged a demonstration seeking protection for their crops from elephants, which frequently stray into their fields.
The body also asked the government to direct the Forest Department officials to shoot the pachyderms, using rubber bullets, to scare them away.
Despite efforts being made by the government, the human-animal conflict continued, Association president, M R Sivasamy said while claiming that there was a provision in a Central Act, where officials can use rubber bullets to scare the elephants away.
He also said of late the animals were targetting property of farmers, besides killing them and causing damage to their crops.

Farmers should also be given permission to use rubber bullets against wild boar, deer and small wildlife, which are damaging the crops, he added.
Meanwhile, Sivasamy demanded that the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) to provide adequate compensation for the agricultural land acquired for erection of electric towers.