Atmakur: Farmers urge forest dept to save crops from wild animals

Atmakur (Nandyal): Farmers at Kothapalli village in Atmakur mandal of Nandyal district on Wednesday staged a protest in front of the forest department office for giving warning not to set up net traps in their farmlands.

The farmers said that they set up traps to save the crops from wild boars coming out during night hours from the jungle. As the crop at the harvesting stage, the farmers said they have to protect them from wild boars otherwise they will lose their entire crop.

The farmers stated that there was no problem to protect the crops till evening. The main problem is during night hours as there is no way to stay in the fields to save the crops from attacks by wild animals.

The wild animals come out of the jungle during night hours in search of food and there is every chance of being attacked by the wild beasts if stayed at the fields in order to protect the crops, they said. In the absence of persons to take care, the net traps have been set up, stated the farmers.

The farmers asked what is wrong in setting up net traps to protect crops from wild animals. The forest department officials in addition to seizing the net traps, also warned to file cases against the farmers.

The farmers said if the officials do not want to set up the traps then let them take care of their crops. The farmers demanded the forest department officials to stop the venturing of the wild beasts and save the crops from being destroyed.