Keonjhar: Elephants are losing sight of their tracks and straying into human habitats due to installation of blazing lights near the elephant corridors of the state and national highways passing through forested areas of this district, a report said. The concern regarding the safety of the pachyderms comes close on the heels of the death of a pregnant elephant and two calves in a train accident at Behera hutting under Champua forest range in the district May 19, 2022.
Reports said the Forest department is taking a slew of measures for protection and security of the jumbos. It has put up signage to alert commuters on the highways about the presence of an elephant corridor there. One of the information boards can be found at the elephant corridor Belda ghat road of National Highway-49. The pachyderms regularly move on these corridors for their destinations. Of late, there has been a sharp rise in number of vehicles on these roads.
As a result, the animals often get confused and lose sight of their tracks while crossing the highway. They then stray into nearby villages and destroy lives and properties. Forest officials have constructed an underpass on the highway for safe movement of the animals. Locals alleged that the animals hardly use the underpass as it is far away from the nearby elephant corridor.
The animals have to climb the hilly roads to get closer to the corridor. Moreover, installation of high illuminating lights on the highway also hinders the safe movement of elephants.
Environmentalists Bimbadhar Behera said that this could have been avoided had the authorities paid adequate attention to these factors during the expansion and construction of the highway. Notably, two major highways, NH-49 and NH-215 pass through the forests and hilly terrains of Keonjhar district. The road expansion work has destroyed the elephant corridors on the highways causing serious problems to the animals.
Environmentalists have alleged that construction of roads and underpasses without adequate consideration and consultation has posed serious threats to the elephants. They said that the Forest department should not rest only on putting up signage but take concrete measures for the protection of the elephants.