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New Indian Express
24-07-2025
- New Indian Express
Forest dept starts clearing bushes after jumbo tramples woman to death at Nelliyalam
NILGIRIS: After a 70-year-old woman was trampled to death by a wild elephant, the forest department staff engaged workers and began clearing tea bushes near the deceased's house at Nelliyalam in Pandalur taluk, on Wednesday. P Lakshmi was trampled to death by a jumbo near Kolapalli Bazaar, on Tuesday, following which locals alleged that even though nearly seven hectares of land was handed over by the TANTEA to the forest department, no maintenance works had been taken up for two years. 'People feel that since the bushes remain uncleared, wild animals hide in the bushes and are difficult to spot. Therefore, well developed bushes will be cleared within a week. A separate team is also monitoring the single-tusked elephant, and preventing it from entering residential areas. Currently, the animal is located at Samiyar Malai, four km away from Nelliyalam. Gudalur DFO has also written a letter to the Chief Wildlife Warden seeking to deploy Kumki elephants to chase away the single-tusked elephant," said the official Explaining the delay, the official noted that they have tried to clear the same tea bushes last year. However, it was called off subsequently after the workers felt they would lose their livelihood. Further, the forest official said TANTEA officials are preparing a proposal to set up a solar fence protecting the labourers' residential quarters in Nelliyalam, and once the funds are sanctioned, work will begin. "We handed over a cheque of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of Lakshmi on Tuesday evening, and she was cremated on Wednesday afternoon," said the official.
New Indian Express
23-07-2025
- New Indian Express
Wild elephant tramples woman to death outside quarters in Ooty
NILGIRIS: A 70-year-old woman was trampled to death by a wild elephant in front of her house at Ammankavu village near Nelliyalam in Pandalur taluk on Tuesday morning, triggering a protest by residents. The victim, P Lakshmi, was washing utensils in a shed near her labour quarters in the D division of the Tamil Nadu Tea Plantation Corporation (TANTEA) estate when a one-tusked elephant attacked her around 6.15 am, forest department officials said. She tried to flee but slipped and fell at the entrance of her house. The elephant trampled her to death. Officials said heavy rain over the past few days had made the ground slippery and reduced visibility at dawn, which likely prevented Lakshmi from noticing the elephant until it was too late. Lakshmi's body was handed over to her family after postmortem. Her kin will receive Rs 10 lakh compensation.
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Totapuri mango farmers in a jam as crisis hits hard
1 2 3 Vijayawada: As the crisis surrounding Totapuri mangoes intensifies across Andhra Pradesh, farmers in the Nuzvid region are grappling with massive losses. With the pulp industry and jelly manufacturers halting procurement this year, demand for the Totapuri variety — primarily used for juice and not for table consumption — plummeted, pushing farmers into a difficult situation. Farmers are taking the direct sales route to overcome losses and markets in Vijayawada are flooded with Totapuri mango stalls in recent times. Traditionally, the Nuzvid region produces a large quantity of Totapuri mangoes towards the end of the season, along with Banginipalli and small juice varieties. However, unlike the superior Totapuri mangoes from Chittoor, Nuzvid's produce is often labelled inferior due to its lower sweetness levels. This year, pulp factories are offering a meagre ₹6 per kg, while middlemen are pushing prices down to ₹4 per kg. The state govt recently announced a ₹4 subsidy per kg, helping farmers receive up to ₹8. But with harvesting alone costing ₹3 per kg, farmers say they are still unable to recover their investment. In response, local farmers, with support from the agriculture marketing department, are adopting an innovative strategy — selling Totapuri mangoes directly to consumers as a table variety. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Estas calculadoras muestran el valor de tu casa al instante (échale un vistazo) Nation Más información Undo Harvested just before full ripeness, these mangoes are being sold in markets like Vijayawada for anywhere between ₹25 and ₹30 per kg, bypassing middlemen and offering some financial relief. "No one pays us more than ₹4 in the wholesale market. Even after adding ₹3 in transport costs, selling directly to consumers helps us recover a part of our losses," said M Rambabu, a farmer from Agiripalli. Adding a new twist, social media influencers are promoting ways to make juice and jelly from Totapuri mangoes. Their tutorials are inspiring homemakers like P Lakshmi to try the fruit, boosting retail sales. Despite this temporary fix, farmers are urging the govt to find a permanent solution for the Totapuri mango market crisis, which resurfaces every season.
