Jharsuguda: Encroachments on the elephant corridors in this district have turned pachyderms aggressive and violent, leading to conflicts with people, a report said.
This has intensified the man-animal conflict over the years with elephants straying into human habitats in search of food and killing whosever came their way. The conflict has claimed over 17 human lives in the last four years in this district.
Seven elephants have also died of various reasons since 2013. The state government increasing the compensation for death in elephant attack from `1 lakh to `3 lakh in 2014 speaks of the intensity of the problem.
The free movement of elephants received a setback after forest land in the elephant corridors was acquired for the expansion of Jharsuguda airport and construction of a stockyard for Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.
According to reports, the path between Sundargarh and Badrama was the main elephant corridor in the district. However, things started changing with advent of industrialization in the area in 2005.
The administration in its bid to facilitate establishment of industrial units acquired revenue land as well as large tracts of forest land. With the spread if industrialization, infrastructure development also took place in the area. New roads and structures came up while traffic increased in the area.
The airport was expanded reportedly by encroaching upon the elephant corridor and a boundary wall was constructed around it. The construction of the boundary wall obstructed the free movement of elephants. As a result, at times the animals were found to have pulled down the boundary wall.
Similarly, the government order for construction of IOCL stockyard in another elephant corridor denied the animals a free movement in their corridor. This made them aggressive and violent and they started attacking people in human habitats.
Earlier, the jumbos were visiting farmland in the months of November and December to eat crops. However, things have changed now as elephants can been seen straying into nearby villages all through the year, Jharsuguda divisional forest officer Arjun Behera said. Awareness can go a long way in preventing man-elephant conflicts, he added. PNN
