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Choudwar: A herd of elephants from forests near Purusandha hills here has been unleashing a reign of terror in Mahisalanda panchayat for the past couple of days.
The elephants have damaged several thatched houses of villagers and eaten their paddy. The aggrieved villagers have threatened to launch an agitation if the Forest department does not take immediate steps to save them and their belongings from the marauding pachyderms.
Villagers claimed that an elephant herd damaged the thatched houses of Tura Dehuri and Banki Dehuri of Gahanda village and ate their paddy stocks in the wee hours of Sunday. “The elephants also came to a village pond and a nearby playground Sunday afternoon. The villagers were forced to keep themselves indoors to save their lives,” said Daitari Dehuri, a villager of Gahanda.
According to the villagers, the elephants also attacked the houses of Tura and Banki in the wee hours of Monday before returning to the forests. “The elephants are regularly damaging thatched houses in Gahanda and other villages of Mahisalanda panchayat. But, the Forest department officials are saying that they have failed to trace the pachyderms,” said Pranakrushna Dehuri, another villager.
The villagers claimed that at least two persons have lost their lives after sustaining injuries in elephant attacks in recent months. “Wild elephants had killed Netranand Dehuri of Gahanda February 16, this year. Similarly, Kalpana Swain of Mahisalanda succumbed to her injuries June 17 following an attack by elephants,” said villager Laxman Dehuri.
It is learnt that the Forest department had convened a meeting with the villagers a few days ago to devise a strategy to keep the wild elephants away from human settlements. But, the department did not implement any of the decisions taken at the meeting, claimed the villagers.
“We do not find it safe to send our children to schools. The Forest department should dig trenches and erect solar fences around the forests to check the movement of elephants into human settlements. The department should also deploy adequate number of guards to chase away the pachyderms from villages,” said villager Chaitanya Dehuri.
Meanwhile, Mangarajpur forester Sukanta Behera Tuesday visited Gahanda and distributed polythene sheets among victim families. Cuttack Divisional Forest Officer Sudarshan Patra said they would enhance patrolling at Mahisalanda panchayat. “Steps are being taken to beef up security at all villages located close to the forests,” he added.