The Indu Makkal Katchi on Sunday performed the gaja samraksha yajna,
seeking divine intervention to reduce the number of elephant deaths in
the district. The religious outfit is also expected to submit a
petition to the state government, urging it to take necessary steps to
reduce incidents of human-animal conflicts.
“Recently, many elephant deaths were reported in Coimbatore. Some of
them were killed in rail accidents, while others were victims of
human-animal conflicts and negligence. While the state government,
along with forest department officials, has been taking necessary
steps to address the problem, we felt that there is need for godly
intervention too,” said IMK leader Arjun Sampath.
The yajna was organised at the Echanari Temple on Sunday at 6am.
After the yajna, a public prayer was conducted. People from
neighbouring areas such as Madukkarai participated in the event. The
residents of Madukkarai had faced a lot of difficulties because of
Madurakkarai Maharaj, a crop-raiding elephant, which died in a rescue
operation. The residents were grief-stricken over the unexpected death
of the jumbo.
The outfit also held a discussion and urged people to come out with
suggestions to reduce human-animal conflicts. “We have chalked out 10
suggestions, which will be submitted to the state government. We want
the government to increase forest cover, provide food and water to
elephants in forest areas to prevent them from straying into human
habitats, install CCTV cameras along railway lines in elephant
corridors and improve medical facilities for treatment of animals,”
Sampath said.
If our demands were not met, we will stage protest, he added.