Champua: People in several villages in forested pockets of this block in Keonjhar district have been spending sleepless nights as a herd of elephants went on a rampage in the area.
Even as the forest department has failed to drive away the intractable animals, locals were left fuming over the issue.
Locals alleged that the forest department’s bid to drive out the animals has fallen flat even as they have been struggling to guard their crops from the marauding animals at nights.
For the last three days, a herd of 23 elephants has been causing mayhem at Mukundapur, Jamudalak, Adhangpal and Mirigisinga.
The animals have damaged crops at Godhuli, at a time when the farmers were worried to save crops from an impending drought.
The villagers demanded that the forest department deploy more guards to drive out the animals from their area.
Meanwhile, a report from Jhumpura said, a tusker separated from its herd wreaked havoc in villages under Bhuyan Juanga Pidhi forest range.
The villagers have reportedly lost their sleep over the tusker. It damaged a house at Kendughati Wednesday night apart from destroying several houses in other villages.
It was leant that three tuskers, separated from their herds, have been creating havoc in Champua, Balibandh, Bamebari, Joda, Anjar and Bansapal. Resentment is brewing among the affected people.
To drive out the tuskers, a squad comprising Champua ranger Ghasinath Patra, Balibandh forester Khageswar Barik, Bamebari forester Jatindra Sahu and Anjar forester UC Tripathy has been formed. The squad has been unsuccessfully chasing the tuskers, local alleged.
DFO Santosh Joshi said efforts were on to drive away the animals.
PNN