Elephant damages 2 cars; Sarpanch warns locals may act if no action taken to move elephant away
PERNEM
With elephant ‘Omkar’ returning to Goa after a gap of about 60 days and continuing to destroy plantations for the third day, aggrieved farmers in Mopa-Ugve village have warned that people may take law into their hands if authorities fail to move the elephant away from habitation.
Speaking to media persons, a visibly unhappy Mopa-Ugve Sarpanch Subodh Mahale said the elephant has not only destroyed banana and other plantations, but had also damaged his car and another car, causing losses to him, former sarpanch Shashikant Mahale, Panch Dayanand Gavandi, and Shantaram Rane.
“Instead of providing compensation to affected farmers, the government should first get the forest department to move the elephant away,” said Sarpanch Subodh Mahale.
“If no action is forthcoming, I will come on the streets along with the aggrieved people and the farmers. Animal lovers should also get involved and work out ways to reach its herd, instead of raising hue and cry if the elephant is harmed.”
The sarpanch said the elephant had reached his residence at 2.30 am on Tuesday.
“My father woke up with the noise and went out of the house, only to see the elephant damaging two vehicles. After some time, some people gathered at the site. The elephant had also damaged another car before moving away. How long are residents to live in fear and who will be held responsible if there is injury or loss of life on account of the elephant,” asked the sarpanch.
“The government had announced the last time that a team would come to control the elephants. But no action has been taken till now and we will not remain silent any longer. We will have to voice the concerns of the people. We will come on the streets with farmers and residents at the right time,” Subodh Mahale warned.
The sarpanch said public anger is growing and feared that people could be forced to take the law into their hands.
“Citizens had started a movement against illegal sand extraction in the Terekhol river at Ugve. A statement was submitted to the government but no action was taken at that place. After that, a shooting took place and two sand extractors were injured at Porascadem in Ugvem-Pernem.”
“The government should not give people a chance to take the law into their own hands if ‘Omkar’ elephant or any animal continues to cause damage without any action being taken to move the animal away,” he said.
