Udhagamandalam: Often deviating Sloth bears to Karimora Village in Coonoor Taluk in Nilgiris have created panic among the villagers.
On Monday night, the Sloth Bear had entered a temple in the village and damaged its nature.
“The Sloth Bear has often visited the village for more than a year now.
The Ministry of Forestry has not taken steps to find a permanent solution for this problem.
We were surprised when the bear damaged the temple property,” said a village resident, who did not want to be named.
The villagers said the CCTV camera had caught the record of the Sloth bear roaming near the Carolina Tea area, which was not well maintained, because the owner lived in Madurai.
“Personal tea plantations, which are spread in more than 100 hectares, are filled with forest weeds, attracting wild animals,” other villagers said.
“We are afraid of going out at night.
The Ministry of Forestry must take steps to move animals from residential areas.” Saravanakumar, assistant forest conservator, said a team will be sent to the village to monitor the swoth bear movement.
“We will also send notifications to plantation owners, ask them to clear the forest weed,” he said.