People in several villages in Shivamogga and Hosanagar taluks are worried about repeated incidents of wild elephants treading into agricultural land and damaging their crops. A group of five to six elephants has been spotted in villages located close to Shettihalli forest.
The residents allege that vast tracts of paddy, areca farms, and banana plantations have been affected by the wild elephants. The people at Maleshankara, Sampige Halla, Thammadihalli, Koodi, Erebeesu of Shivamogga and parts of Kerehalli gram panchayat in Hosanagar have complained to the taluk administration about such incidents.
Shivamogga Rural MLA Sharada Puryanaik, on Monday, visited a few villages on Monday and interacted with the affected people. The residents said that in the past, only a couple of wild elephants were spotted in these villages. However, the number of pachyderms had increased.
The MLA contacted the senior officers of the Forest Department and instructed them to take the measures necessary to avoid such incidents.
