Lok Sabha Debates
Elephant Menace In Periyakulam Parliamentary Constituency Of Tamil Nadu. on 1 December, 2005
> Title : Elephant menace in Periyakulam Parliamentary Constituency of Tamil Nadu.
SHRI J.M. AARON RASHID (PERIYAKULAM): Respected, Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am thankful to you for the opportunity you have given to me. In my parliamentary constituency there are about 250 kms. of hill ranges. A lot of elephants are causing havoc to the people's lives. They have eaten away kuruthu, the tender leaves of coconut trees and other plantations.
MR. SPEAKER: It seems coconuts are very attractive to elephants! SHRI J.M. AARON RASHID : In the last one month due to elephants' havoc, four people have died. During the first attack, the elephants killed two persons in Cumbam assembly constituency. It destroyed a lot of plantations, like sugarcane, keerai thandu, grape gardens and groundnuts.
MR. SPEAKER: I cannot ask you not to plant sugarcane.
SHRI J.M. AARON RASHID : During the second attack, it killed two more persons, including a woman. That happened in Bodi Assembly Constituency, in the down hills of Kombai area.
MR. SPEAKER: The panchayat should look at it.
SHRI J.M. AARON RASHID : People in my constituency are worried about elephants' ransacking their plantations. In two places in Cumbam and at one place in Bodi, the people are very much afraid to come out of their homes in the morning and in the evening. The elephants have destroyed the standing crops. … (Interruptions) They are fearing attack every day. I have already sent a letter to the State Government. A lot of property has been damaged.
MR. SPEAKER: Why are you raising it here?
SHRI J.M. AARON RASHID : We request the Ministry of Environment and Forests to send a team from here to assess the damage caused to the property and to the plantations. In Periyakulam Constituency, we have to save the precious lives of the people. The mad elephants should be caught or chased away to uphills or they should be shot down on the spot with tranquillisers and send the same to zoo. We have to save the people's precious lives and plantations.
MR. SPEAKER: I am appreciating your concern. But your concern is not for elephants. Your concern should be for elephants also. Both elephants and human beings should be safe.
SHRI J.M. AARON RASHID : Adequate compensation should be given to them.