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A Coffee Brake

The animal is known by many names such as tuskers, Jumbos, giants and elephants. But for people in the south, they’re known by only one name – the marauder. Come summer, when their hard labour of working in the incessant rain and sweltering sun is in the crux of its fruition, the so-called marauder appear from the nearest bushes to claim their share.
 
Their unwelcome visits are evident from the fallen banana plants, leaning areca nut trees, crumbled huts, gaping holes on the walls and sometime even causing injuries to the residents. In every visit, they normally leave behind trail of destructions.

“The herd recently paid their demolition visit in our village,”
 
“The herd recently paid their demolition visit in our village,” said Leeladha, a 48 years old pointing to big gaping hole in the walls of his one-storey house adding “there is hardly anything we can do because it is risky to our lives.” They come in herds and people normally drive them away by teaming up with the forest personnel posted in their place. They make all types of colossal noise and do everything but to chase these giants away.

Government has also done everything they could to find a lasting solution to the persisting problem. According to Kaka Tshering, Divisional Forest Officer of Samtse, some 9 Kms of power fences have been erected investing 4.1 million. But people need to equally participate and contribute towards government efforts.

But solutions are explored for every problem that crop up. They’ve talked with the Members of Parliament and gewog administration. They’ll take up sensitization and also frame by-laws to regulate movements of cattle. There is also plan to tie-up with Gewog Conservation Committee in order to strengthen it.“In order to ensure its effectiveness, fence guards have been trained and appointed” said Kaka. 

“If you let it overgrow, the power gets drained and it takes few days to recharge”

There are also basic maintenances such as clearing of weeds within 1 metre at both sides. “If you let it overgrow, the power gets drained and it takes few days to recharge,” clarified DFO. People also set their cattle for grazing outside the fence. Hence, in order not to disrupt the free movement, 7 gates have been constructed in Sipsoo alone. Kaka Tshering explained that beneficiaries normally let the cattle through the gates in the morning, but in the evening, with no herder, they deliberately switch off the power to avoid their cattle getting shock returning in late night. “And that’s the prime time for elephants to visit,” DFO said.

“And that’s the prime time for elephants to visit”

In addition, Coffee plantation is also expected to provide a brake for the visiting elephants. This was indicated by chief-guest during the coffee plantation launch saying, “I hope that the project may also contribute towards dwindling crop damages by the wildlife.”

The large stretch of 300 acres of government reserved forests land cleared for coffee plantation used to be bushes with Sal tree plantation. “Such bushes provided hiding ground for elephants and coffee is also unpalatable to the elephants, “hence, they may not be attracted towards it” supported Sonam, GAO of Sipsoo.

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