Baripada/Thakurmunda: Farmers are spending sleepless nights as the elephant menace continues in several villages under Dudhiani and Karanjia ranges of Mayurbhanj district.
At a time when paddy is nearing harvest, elephant herds from Jharkhand and Similipal continue to unleash a reign of terror in various villages. About 58 elephants in these ranges have been on a crop damaging spree for the past few weeks.
People living in 20 villages near the forests are a worried lot regarding the protection of their paddy which is on the verge of blossoming to maturity. A herd of 47 elephants have entered Odisha from Jharkhand.
While 25 have been damaging crops in Manoharpur locality, 20 others are in Budhipatar. Another herd of 11 elephants from Similipal are damaging crops at different places in Thakurmunda area.
It was alleged that after sunset, the elephants enter villages like Gharmabeda, Sunaposi, Haldia, Kanjiama, Pokharia, Baria, Siramanipur, Chaturanjali under Sukruli block; Budhipal, Pahadipura, Dhatikia, Jamkeshar and Bunsanali under Jashipur block; Kesidiha, Champajhar and Mituani under Thakumundada block and damage crops and houses.
Efforts are on to drive the pachyderms away, but so far have proved futile. To compound the woes of the people, the Energy department snaps electricity connection at night for the safety of the animals.
This forces residents of the affected villages to stay in complete darkness. Poor tribals have been living amid fears of attack from elephants at night. People have accused it for its failure in containing the elephant menace in these areas.
Other than warning the people regarding the presence of elephants in the localities, it has done nothing, locals alleged. The affected people have demanded immediate steps for assessment of the crop damage.
They also alleged that compensation is not being provided to those affected. Poor tribals are not being able to repair the damaged houses for lack of compensation, they said.
PNN