Loisingha: While people in many villages under Loisingha block in Bolangir district have lost their sleep over persistent elephant menace, the forest department has decided to dig trenches on the elephant routes in the area to prevent the animals from causing mayhem.
Besides, another decision was taken to instal solar lights in the villages facing elephant mayhem.
According to reports, the animals have damaged crops on large tracts of land and pulled down several houses in Bhalupalli, Badibahal, Jogisarda and other villages for some weeks.
In view of the problem, officials of the forest department held discussion with people of Bhalupalli how to deal with the menace. ACF Babajicharan Roul, ranger Alok Majhi and forest officials were present at the meeting.
Locals expressed their displeasure over the frequent entry of elephants into villages. A marauding tusker has made matters worse for locals and kiled a person in the area.
The ACF said that the officials of the Bhubaneswar wildlife division have been intimated about the need of tranquilising the tusker and shifting it elsewhere. The forest officials said that solar lights will be installed in these villages soon.
Most importantly, a decision was taken to dig trenches across some elephant routes on the outskirts of Ramai and Bhaludunguri village to prevent the animals from entering human habitations.
PNN