Somwarpet: The menace of wild elephants straying into agricultural lands in Kodagu is common resulting in farmers hesitantly going to their field with fear.

To get over the plaguing problem, a progressive farmer Baby of Arasinaguppe village bordering Yadavanadu Reserve Forest in Somwarpet taluk has come out with a novel idea by forming a lake on a half-an-acre of the field which has also replenished water to dry borewells nearby.

Baby and his wife Meena posses 10 acre of land and cultivates ginger, coffee and spices. A few of the borewells dug in the field had gone dry but for the one at a higher level where Baby decided to form the lake.

The wise Baby cemented three walls of the lake leaving the one extending to the forest. He cultivated Bamboo and other plants most liked by elephants near the open end. The wild elephants now even if they want to stray would be attracted to the Bamboo and other plants, eat them, drink water from the lake and happily go back, sparing the main agricultural crop.

Baby’s plan has helped the neighbouring farmers as the lake has improved the ground water table resulting in all borewells yielding water.

Pisciculture: Inspired by the progress, Meena has launched pisciculture in the lake and the venture has given good returns with the fish reared there selling like hot cakes at nearby villages.

Wildlife: The lake has been attracting a lot of deer, peacocks, rabbits and boars, not to exclude birds making the place a good place to watch wildlife.

Rain water harvesting: Baby is now planning to form one more lake to harvest the rain water coming down the sloppy areas which would boost the yield in  agriculture.