Assessment of Different Aspects of Elephant Depredation …
255
People who were unable to complete school education (illiterates and drop-outs)
constituted 79.60% of the village population.
In the surveyed villages, 55.63% of the adult population was employed. A significant majority (75.15%) of the earners depended upon daily wages, while the rest
were small scale businessmen (13.29%), lower level employees in the private sector
(8.23%), stone quarry workers (1.27%) and government servants (5.06%) (F = 50.06,
df = 4, 370, p < 0.01). There were 2.73 dependants against every earner and there
was a significant difference between the number of earners and dependants (z = 5.31,
n 1 = 75, n 2 = 75, p < 0.05). Government service, private sector, business, wages
and stone quarry yielded average monthly incomes of 14,875 INR, 7730.77 INR,
7523.81 INR and 4944.74 INR, 3000 INR per earner respectively. Out of the earners
23.42% engaged themselves in additional professions (part-time jobs) to supplement
their family income. Wage labour was also the most (48.65%) preferred profession
in this regard; other secondary professions included business (32.43%) and private
sector (18.92%) (χ
2
= 4.98, df = 2, p > 0.05). The monthly family income ranged
from 2000 INR to 130,000 INR and the average monthly income per household was
13,043 ± 11,616 INR. There was a significant correlation between the number of
earners and the total family income per household (r = 0.232, p < 0.05).
There was a significant difference (χ
2
= 11.23, df = 1, p < 0.01) between number
of households which owned agricultural land (30.67%) and the households which
did not own agricultural land (69.33%). The average production of paddy was 739.13
± 458 kg among the households which had the ownership of agricultural land. The
average land holding was 1.50 ± 1.00 acres among such households. The production
of paddy was significantly correlated with the area of agricultural land (r = 0.79, p <
0.01). In addition to direct consumption, rice was also used for local beer preparation.
In fact, in 36% of the households, rice beer was prepared (χ
2
= 5.89, df = 1, p <
0.05). Betel nut gardens were owned by 40% of the surveyed households (χ
2
= 3.37,
df = 1, p > 0.05); a majority (66.67%) sold the betel nut produced in their gardens. As
a whole, a major portion (64.24%) of the betel nut production was sold (z = 1.04, n 1
= 75, n 2 = 75, p > 0.05) and the rate of sale varied between 20 and 80 INR per kg. In
addition, 41.33% of the households had their own tea gardens (χ
2
= 2.27, df = 1, p >
0.05). The average monthly production and income from the tea gardens were 519.03
± 467.72 kg and 7467.74 ± 4752.07 INR among such households respectively. Tea
production was significantly correlated with the area of the tea garden (r = 0.74, p <
0.01).
Most of the households significantly reared hens (40.5%), followed by cows
(39.75%), ducks (17.25%), pigs (25.5%), goats (23.25%), pigeons (3%) and Buffalo (1.5%) (χ
2
= 68.50, df = 5, p < 0.01). Hens (51.91%) significantly dominated
the livestock population: while cows, ducks, goats, pigs, pigeons and buffaloes contributed 16.55%, 10.81%, 9.57%, 9.35%, 1.46% and 0.34% respectively (F = 41.33,
df = 5, 518, p < 0.01).
255
People who were unable to complete school education (illiterates and drop-outs)
constituted 79.60% of the village population.
In the surveyed villages, 55.63% of the adult population was employed. A significant majority (75.15%) of the earners depended upon daily wages, while the rest
were small scale businessmen (13.29%), lower level employees in the private sector
(8.23%), stone quarry workers (1.27%) and government servants (5.06%) (F = 50.06,
df = 4, 370, p < 0.01). There were 2.73 dependants against every earner and there
was a significant difference between the number of earners and dependants (z = 5.31,
n 1 = 75, n 2 = 75, p < 0.05). Government service, private sector, business, wages
and stone quarry yielded average monthly incomes of 14,875 INR, 7730.77 INR,
7523.81 INR and 4944.74 INR, 3000 INR per earner respectively. Out of the earners
23.42% engaged themselves in additional professions (part-time jobs) to supplement
their family income. Wage labour was also the most (48.65%) preferred profession
in this regard; other secondary professions included business (32.43%) and private
sector (18.92%) (χ
2
= 4.98, df = 2, p > 0.05). The monthly family income ranged
from 2000 INR to 130,000 INR and the average monthly income per household was
13,043 ± 11,616 INR. There was a significant correlation between the number of
earners and the total family income per household (r = 0.232, p < 0.05).
There was a significant difference (χ
2
= 11.23, df = 1, p < 0.01) between number
of households which owned agricultural land (30.67%) and the households which
did not own agricultural land (69.33%). The average production of paddy was 739.13
± 458 kg among the households which had the ownership of agricultural land. The
average land holding was 1.50 ± 1.00 acres among such households. The production
of paddy was significantly correlated with the area of agricultural land (r = 0.79, p <
0.01). In addition to direct consumption, rice was also used for local beer preparation.
In fact, in 36% of the households, rice beer was prepared (χ
2
= 5.89, df = 1, p <
0.05). Betel nut gardens were owned by 40% of the surveyed households (χ
2
= 3.37,
df = 1, p > 0.05); a majority (66.67%) sold the betel nut produced in their gardens. As
a whole, a major portion (64.24%) of the betel nut production was sold (z = 1.04, n 1
= 75, n 2 = 75, p > 0.05) and the rate of sale varied between 20 and 80 INR per kg. In
addition, 41.33% of the households had their own tea gardens (χ
2
= 2.27, df = 1, p >
0.05). The average monthly production and income from the tea gardens were 519.03
± 467.72 kg and 7467.74 ± 4752.07 INR among such households respectively. Tea
production was significantly correlated with the area of the tea garden (r = 0.74, p <
0.01).
Most of the households significantly reared hens (40.5%), followed by cows
(39.75%), ducks (17.25%), pigs (25.5%), goats (23.25%), pigeons (3%) and Buffalo (1.5%) (χ
2
= 68.50, df = 5, p < 0.01). Hens (51.91%) significantly dominated
the livestock population: while cows, ducks, goats, pigs, pigeons and buffaloes contributed 16.55%, 10.81%, 9.57%, 9.35%, 1.46% and 0.34% respectively (F = 41.33,
df = 5, 518, p < 0.01).