Hundreds of dairy farmers under the aegis of Sulthan Bathery Cooperative Milk Supply Society took out a march and staged a dharna in front of the Thottammoola Forest Station under the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary on Tuesday in protest against the alleged apathy of the Forest department in capturing a tiger that had triggered panic among residents of Cheeral for the past three weeks.
The wild cat on the prowl reportedly attacked as many as nine head of cattle, of which six cows died.
Though Forest officials had adopted steps, including setting up three cages to capture the animal and installing 23 surveillance cameras in the area apart from combing operations to track the animal, they were yet to spot it.
Around 1,700 farmers under the cooperative participated in the protest march. They raised demands such as separating human habitats from forests and providing fair compensation for losses suffered by farmers in wild animal attacks in a time-bound manner. Sulthan Bathery block panchayat president C. Assair inaugurated the march.
Another group of farmers under the banner of Karshaka Pradhirodha Samiti, a farmer organisation, also took out a march and staged a dharna in front of the Mini Civil Station at Sulthan Bathery on the day seeking protection for their life and property from wild animal attacks.
Meanwhile, the United Democratic Front Sulthan Bathery municipal committee announced a protest march and a dharna in front of the wildlife warden’s office at 10 a.m. on Thursday. Members of Kisan Sabha district committee will also stage a 24-hour fast in front of the office on Friday raising similar demands.
