Chennai, Jan 28 (IANS): Farmers in Tamil Nadu's Dharmpuri district are awaiting the capture of two elephants by the forest department as the tuskers are destroying crops in their agricultural lands.

According to the farmers, the elephants, including a tuskless one, have been on a rampage in the farmlands located in Palacode, Papparapatti and Maranadahalli since the past few months.

S.A. Chinnaswamy, President of the Tamilaga Vyavasai Sangam, told crops: "The crops are being destroyed by these elephants and the compensation offered by the state government is insufficient. If the crops had grown, we would have fetched much more than what we are receiving now. The forest department must immediately act and capture the two elephants."

On their part, department officials said they have been relentlessly pursuing the elephants and trying to drive them into the deep forest.

A senior officer of the forest department in Dharmapuri told IANS: "Despite bursting crackers and trying to drive the animals into the deep forest, they are coming back. The tuskless one is more ferocious and if we try more, then it would lead to the elephant creating more damage. We need clearance from the state forest department to tranquilise the elephant."

District forest authorities require clearance from the state's chief Wildlife warden and resources for a major operation to tranquilise elephants and capture them.

The farmers association is also worried about the money provided by the Revenue Department as compensation to the damaged crops is very less.

Senior officers in Chennai, however, said that a decision to capture the elephants will come soon and a high-level meeting would be held in the days to come.