The Western Ghats are one of the world’s most treasured forests in the world. It also features amongst the eight “hottest hotspots” of biological diversity in the world. Western ghats also have the crown of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, the foothills and villages surrounding the Western Ghats have to constantly face the threat of wild animals and venomous creatures. In the recent past, the Wild elephant attacks to the villages surrounding the Western Ghats have added more salt to the problems of the people of these villages. Mandekolu in Sullia Taluk of Dakshina Kannada district is one such village which is constantly under the attack of wild elephants. These elephants destroy farms, uproot trees, and also cause harm to humans and houses in these villages.
This was helplessly watched by most of the people. All attempts to shoo the wild elephants had gone in vein. Many times elephants would block the roads and completely isolate these villages from the rest of the world. Lack of political vision and help had also resulted in constant attacks from elephants. However, the young NM Nikitha was not someone to watch all these and sit silently mourning over the losses. She decided to act on her own. She decided to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention and help in this matter. The kid who is a student of class 4 had written explaining how everyday people had to live in the constant fear of being attacked by elephants. She also mentioned that these elephants would cause harm to kids on the way back from schools.
This letter sent to the Prime minister’s office on the 10th of last October had been the last hope for Nikitha. The state Principal Secretary’s office received an advice from the PMO on February 21st to take action in this regard. Based on the government orders a committee headed by Sullia ACF Jagannath had visited the village and had a meeting with the residents of the village and Nikitha. The committee has promised to mitigate this problem by creating trenches and also by the use of solar barbed wire fences wherever needed.
The young girl’s smartness and the response from the prime minister’s office has received appreciation from the general public
