Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady (MS)

Beltangady, Oct 28: Forest department began digging an elephant trench at Baare, border area of Thotattadi-Chibidre villages which were devastated by the wild elephant menace.

The trench will be built over an area of 1.5 km at a cost of Rs 5.40 lac. Huge amount of crop was destroyed at Baare which lies next to Dharmasthala-Mundaje reserve forest.

Three months ago, expert elephant tamers were called from Nagarahole and wild elephants were driven back into the forest. Chilly smoke was also used to scare the pachyderms. However, these were not effective as the wild elephants continue to enter the farmlands. At last, the forest department decided to dig trench to prevent the elephants from crossing over to residential areas and farms.

Forest department provides grant to build elephant trench as per need. However, many elephant trenches that were built years ago at Mundaje, Charmadi and Chibidre have become useless as they were not maintained. During monsoon mud fell into these trenches and they were literally closed. This had made the elephants to easily cross over the trenches and enter into residential areas.