Belagavi: A herd of elephants has been camping near Neelawade village on the banks of Malaprabha River, in Khanapur taluk for several days after a female elephant delivered a calf. The elephants damaged standing crops in Neelawade and surrounding villages, causing losses to farmers. The farmers urged forest dept to assess the damage and compensate them appropriately, for the loss incurred.Vitthal, a farmer from Neelawade village, said that 5 to 6 weeks have passed since the herd of 10 to 15 elephants has arrived near Neelawade village. Sunita Nimbargi, assistant conservator of forests (ACF), said that, like every year, this year too, a group of wild elephants entered the forests of Khanapur taluk from Dandeli forest.
“A female elephant in the herd gave birth to a calf. The elephants are not moving outside the Neelawade area because they have a calf with them. The herd, which protects a baby elephant during the day, enters agricultural fields at night. They are roaming in sugarcane, areca nut, banana, cashew nut plantations, and paddy fields, damaging the crops,” she said. The forest dept’s efforts to relocate the elephants have failed so far. All efforts are being made to compensate for the crop damage, the forest officials informed.
