The National Human Rights Commission on Thursday asked the Tamil Nadu Chief Conservator of Forests, Government of Tamil Nadu and Nilgiris collector to respond within eight weeks as to why wild animals strayed into villages and killed people.

The elephants have been attacking villages and destroyed crops too.

While issuing the notices, Mr. Justice D. Murugesan, Member, NHRC has observed that “the Commission can very well understand the miserable plight of the populace in the affected areas, living up with the dangers of attack by the wild animals. The authorities cannot afford to be mute spectators in such circumstances.”

The commission was acting on a complaint that during the last three years, six persons were allegedly killed by tigers and 20 by wild elephants in the Ooty town area, Noolpusha, tea plantation at Bitherkkadu, Devarshole etc. but no action has been taken by the concerned Government officers.

Requesting for protection to the people and their crops from the wild animals, the complainant has also drawn attention towards the African countries, which have tried to provide big trenches and nets to prevent the entry of wild animals into the human areas.