Farmers from the Torse, Tambose, and Mopa areas question the government; the elephant has flattened trees that took years to grow.
“The government tells us to farm; we cultivate the land, take out loans, and nurture trees for eight to ten years… only for the elephant ‘Omkar’ to come and destroy everything in a single night. So, what are we supposed to do, and what are we supposed to eat?” asked the angry farmers from the Torse, Tambose, and Mopa regions.
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“How long will the compensation last? Who will compensate us for years of hard work?” the farmers asked, expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s measures.
“Our children are unemployed. Since there are no government jobs available, we farm to stand on our own feet. But when we do farm, the elephant comes and destroys everything. How, then, are we to support our families?” the farmers lamented.
“Government officials sit in Panaji and tell us to do this or that; but who will stand by us in times of crisis?” the farmers asked directly.
“When we go to the bank for a loan, we are told to fill out forms and submit documents. In the end, what does the farmer actually get? How are we supposed to survive?” the farmers expressed their outrage.
Farmers have suffered massive financial losses as the elephant ‘Omkar’ has flattened trees they had painstakingly nurtured over the past eight to nine years. With their crops repeatedly damaged by this elephant over the last year, the farmers have strongly demanded a permanent solution to the elephant menace, rather than just damage assessments and compensation.
