Deer damage crops, farmers seek relief

Kurnool: The hapless farmers of Adoni and Alur are facing grave situation from the deer that are destroying their valuable crops in lakhs of acres. A herd of deer are wandering in groups and causing enormous damage to crop. With the drying up of streams and lakes in the forest, the deer in search of water are venturing out of the jungle.

Having found plenty of fodder and sufficient water resources, the deer finding it a haven for them. Despite handing over several representations to forest officials to restrain deer entering their fields, the farmers pleas did not yield any positive result, a farmer Kalabai Ram Prasad of Adoni lamented.

“I had raised cotton in an extent of 5 acres a month ago by investing Rs 50,000. Two acres of crop has been damaged totally by the deer. It is very difficult to restrain deer as they attack in large number at once. We have complained to Revenue department officials to take necessary steps to save our crops but in vain,” Ram Prasad said.

The problem of deer would be very high during Kharif season, said another farmer Jagan from Narayana Puram. He said during Kharif, all the farmers grow red gram, bengal gram, groundnuts and cotton. Due to abundance of fodder and water resources, the deer are entering into the fields, he stated.

“We are unable to find a way to stop the deer entering our farms. Neither the government officials nor the forest staff are taking steps to catch them. We are not even paid any compensation to the damaged crop from both departments though there is a law,” stated Jagan.

Strict laws are existing in case of harming the deer, said K Venkateshwarlu, Rythu Sangam leader of Adoni division. He said ‘Operation Black Buck’ was launched when M Mareppa was Minister. The farmers had a sigh of relief with the announcement of ‘Operation Black Buck’ but the scheme was left in the midway without completing, said Venkateshwarlu.

Earlier, the problem of deer was confined to Adoni compared to Alur. Gradually, the problem also spread to around six constituencies, Alur, Adoni, Holagunda, Yemmiganur, Pathikonda and Kodamur. He urged the government to construct proposed deer park at Alur and save the crops.

Speaking to The Hans India, Divisional Forest Officer Chandrasekhar said a deer park was proposed to be constructed in an extent of 200 acres at Alur in 2005. Proposals to this effect were prepared and sent to the state government and the same was forwarded to the central government.

Even another proposal was sent in 2015 to the central government but no action was taken. Attributing the reason for deer migration into human habitats, the DFO said the streams and lakes in the forest have totally dried up and in search of water and fodder they would have ventured into human habitats. He admitted that there is a clause specifically to pay compensation to the damaged crop by deer. But, no such complaints have been received from the farmers, he stated.

By V Narendra Kumar