Monkeys lay waste to coconut plantations
SANGUEM; While it is good news for the coconut farmers due to the hefty increase in the coconut prices over the past few month, the coconut farmers in Rivona village are sore over the destruction caused by the monkeys over the past couple of years.
The destruction is extensive at Matt Rivona causing Ramnath Bhat to make him contemplate leaving it all behind. However given his roots and the fact the agricultural plantation was tilled by his ancestors, Bhat has no other alternate but to continue for very marginal income.
Monkeys were destroying the coconut plantation during the visit of this journalist. Ramnath said “ We are helpless in resorting to any action against the monkey menace on account of the stringent laws presently being followed in the country. Despite the severe losses faced by the coconut farmers in the hinterland areas, the government authorities particularly the forest department have not come with any idea of dealing with the monkey menace as of date. Bhat said a few years back, he would get over 5000 coconuts from his farm at Matt Rivona. However since the past couple of years, the yield is reduced to a little over 500 coconuts per plucking season.
Incidentally, this leaves the farmers with a very little income which is not even sufficient to breakeven. recalling the past history in the village, Bhat informed that earlier there used to be a community of ‘Makadmaris’ visiting the village for certain days in a year. However now with the slow dis-appearance of this community, the monkeys are seen freely moving around laying waste.
Robbers who robbed nothing
MARGAO; An unknown male person broke into the Madgaum Urban Bank’s Margao branch behind near Bank of Baroda on Sunday morning (11 February) and ransacked the premises for three hours but did not find anything worthwhile to steal.
The masked man removed the rear grill and also the exhaust fan and entered the premises. He changed the direction of the CCTV cameras and ransacked the premises breaking open drawers and was inside the premises from 3:30 am to 6:30 am.
However, police could not identify the person as he was wearing a mask. A case has been registered by Margao Town Police following a complaint lodged this morning by the branch manager Sandesh Hegde Dessai.
