Jumbos worry Kalahandi forest sleuths

| | BHAWANIPATNA
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Jumbos worry Kalahandi forest sleuths

Saturday, 16 November 2019 | BIKASH KHEMKA | BHAWANIPATNA

The Forest Department of Kalahandi is at its wit’s end on finding a solution to the elephant menace in the Lanjigarh region.

Seven days ago, the forest personnel had chased away an elephant herd from Biswanathpur range to Baliguda forest area, but they are re-entering the human settlements and crop fields. The elephants from Niyamgiri reserve forest had entered the Biswanathpur range wrecking havoc in six gram panchayats where locals had to spend sleepless nights.

Two groups of 16 to18 elephants were moving near Bedagaon and Kankutru village damaging six kuccha houses and huge acres of harvested land. The migrant elephants roamed bordering areas of Rayagada and Kalahandi districts. Especially, during the crop cutting season they cover the 30 km corridor. 

DFO, Southern range division, T Ashok Kumar said the Biswanathpur range has been most affected area this year. “After sunset, the pachyderms come out and damage standing crops including paddy, cotton, maize and other pulses. Simultaneously, they damage the kuchha houses,” said the DFO, appealing the denizens not to come out in the evening.

The State Government has issued a circular for tracking the migrant elephants but it is yet to find a proper solution of it. Forest personnel have been using fire torches and crackers to ward off the jumbo herd, but in vain. Many times the forest staff take the help of villagers also.

Biswanathpur ranger Lakhya Mahanand said from April to July, the department has already disbursed compensation of Rs 2.91 lakh to the victims of jumbo attack.

 Since October-November, 23 acres of standing crop were damaged and nine kuchha houses were destroyed by the pachyderms which have again forced the forest officials to release around Rs 5 lakh as compensation to the victims. “The recent damage report has been sent to the State Government and accordingly victims will be paid,” said the Ranger.

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