Nadavayal: Residents of Nadavayal in Wayanad district are facing a serious threat to their lives and crops from wild elephants. The residents are now unable to step out of their homes after dark, fearing the elephants which venture out of the Pathiri South Section Forest every night.

After coming out of the forest, the elephants enter the farms and cause widespread destruction of crops. As the elephants take the village roads while returning to forest during daybreak, residents are forced to remain indoors the entire night fearing for their lives.

“Earlier, the elephants used to travel only along the farms. However, they are now taking the main roads in the area,” said a resident.

“The wild elephants have been creating severe problems in Panamaram and Poothadi panchayats over the last couple of days,” he said.

“On the night of March 9, a wild elephant entered the farms owned by Biju Mathew and some others right near Nadavayal town and destroyed the entire crops. The elephant returned to the forest only on the morning of March 10,” the resident added.

Another wild elephant which arrived in Kakkodan Block a couple of days ago had also returned to the forest along the main road in the morning.

Presently, the areas worst affected by the threat of wild elephants are Nadavayal in Panamaram panchayat and Kakkodan Block.

Yet another elephant which regularly raids the farmlands in Neykuppa also returns to the forest along the main road between Pulpally and Nadavayal. Incidentally, preventive measures such as electric fences installed by the Forest Department on the borders of the forest have been no deterrent to this elephant from entering farmlands and village roads.

Large coconut and banana trees with fruits ready for plucking are the prime target of the wild elephants. Considering the situation, residents of the area have demanded the Forest Department to post temporary watchers at spots on the forest border through which wild elephant regularly enter farmlands and villages.