Palalahada: A herd of 10 to 15 elephants caused massive damage to plantain farms in Khanatapasi village of Khamar forest range that comes under this block of Angul district Monday night.
Suresh Kumar Sahu, a plantain farmer, is among the victims.
Sahu and his family members woke up to a commotion and were heartbroken to see about 10 to 15 elephants damaging their crops. He informed the Forest department but no help arrived and finally the villagers had to drive the herd away on their own way by showing fire torches and beating tin sheets.
Suresh has lodged a complaint with the forest department alleging that he has suffered heavy losses.
The farmer had borrowed money from a bank along with other acquaintances to grow the crop. More than 200 plantain trees were found to be uprooted or broken after the elephants left. This has put the farmer in great distress as he thinks the situation will make it impossible for him to payback his loans.
It may be mentioned here that elephants straying into fields and damaging crops has been a regular affair here.
Even though the issue has been intimated to the Forest department on a number of occasions, the department is yet to take any concrete action, Suresh alleged while requesting the department to compensate his loss as early as possible.
When contacted, Khamar ranger Ramakant Sethy expressed his helplessness in the matter.
“We could hardly do anything to check elephants from straying into the villages close to forested area. Compensation would be given only after receiving complaints from affected villagers,” he added.
That said, the department has deployed a forest guard at the village.
PNN
