Odisha

Panic Grips Locals As Jumbo Herd Raids Villages, Destroys Crop In Keonjhar

Elephants from Dalma Sanctuary in Jharkhand entered Jadibali forests at Nilgiri in Balasore on Wednesday. Photograph: Odishabytes

Keonjhar: People of villages under Champua range in Keonjhar district are spending sleepless nights with a herd of rampaging wild elephants creating panic in the area since the past three days.

According to the sources, the herd has destroyed standing crops. “We are living under constant fear. The elephants can anytime attack our houses. They have already destroyed crops,” said Kalpalata Pradhan, a villager.

Balibandha Forester Bidyadhar Sahoo promised to compensate the farmers after the estimation of the damages.

“We will try to disburse the compensation at the earliest. We will finish all the paper works immediately. We will investigate and prepare all the required documents,” Sahoo said.

The elephants have also been on rampage in Kulachuda, Mankadachua, Khelora, Fakirapur and Suluguda villages of the district.

On September 29, a herd of 30 wild elephants went on the rampage and destroyed standing crop at Palaspanga under Sadar range.

The elephants entered the human settlements at Madhupur, Kalasi, Kunjuradihi and Silisuan villages and damaged crops cultivated over acres of agricultural land.

On receiving information, a team of forest department officials combed the area, but could not trace the elephants. “Movement of elephants has been reported in the region from the past few months. It seems that the forest personnel have failed to prevent entry of the elephants into the villages and agricultural fields,” a villager said.

In yet another case of man-animal conflict the district, an elderly woman was trampled to death by a tusker in Sadar forest range of Keonjhar district on September 26.

Panic gripped the area after the 60-year-old woman was killed in the tusker attack.

According to the sources, the incident took place early in the morning when the woman had gone to the nearby forest to collect mushroom.

There has been an increase in wild animal attacks in Keonjhar. The locals have also been demanding life security and compensation of their crop loss and house damages in such cases.