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Wild jumbos rampage at Kosgahahinna

by J. Gunadasa Jayawickrema - Galewela group correspondent

Wild Elephants have intensified their onslaught on the coconut, jack and other cultivations of farmers in the hamlet of Kosgahahinna within the Galawela Divisional Secretary's area. A group of villagers disclosed to 'Daily News' that during the few weeks after the past Sinhala and Hindu New Year celebration, wild elephants have smashed over 500 coconut trees.

P.H. Samarakkody said that 15 coconut and 55 banana trees and about an acre of paddy cultivation were destroyed by a herd of wild elephants. Another farmer Nimal Christy has lost his entire vegetable cultivation and the banana crop of about one acre. K.P. Karunarathne's 10 coconut trees have been reduced to a heap of garbage.

Winson laments for the loss of over three acres of new coconut cultivation expected to yield the first harvest in the following year.

Simon who was able to sell about 150 or more coconuts at every plucking and meeting all his needs of home consumption has been compelled to buy coconut from outside, owing to the wild elephants destroying all the coconut trees in his land.

Daniel Perera's manioc crop has gone leaving behind only a heap of sticks. According to the recent investigation conducted by Kosgahahinna Grama Niladhari the wild elephant menace has caused the biggest loss to a veteran farmer U.R. Kalu Banda who had over three acres of coconut cultivation and about 2 1/2 acres of paddy cultivation completely devastated.

When inquired the farmers said that the elephants roam in several herds. They spend the day time at Thawalampitiya a land of shrub jungle about one kilometre away from the village and come to the village at dusk. In response to the repeated requests of the villagers the Department of Wild Life has made arrangements to set up an electric fence to keep away the wild elephants. About 3500 families have contributed Rs. 100 each to meet a part of the construction cost.

A belt of cleared land has been created making use of the voluntary labour of the people. The main step of the project, the construction of the electric fence is yet to be implemented. The delay in the implementation of the project has added more misery to the lives of the people living in six grama niladhari divisions namely Moragolla, Kosgahahinna, Ralalerotawewa, Pibidunagama, Bambaragaswewa and Dewahuwa.

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