Kendrapara: Expressing serious concern over the upsurge in man-reptile conflicts, especially in Brahmani river, former minister Ganeswar Behera has urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to save precious lives from the jaws of crocodiles.
Behera, a senior Congress leader, said the man-crocodile conflict has assumed an alarming proportion in Kendrapara as within a span of last 75 days six persons have been killed in crocodile attacks in Brahmani river alone.
The former minister said the riparian villages of Brahmani are in a frozen state of fear. He said although the wildlife officials have provided ex-gratia to the next of kin of the crocodile attack victims, promised construction of barricade and protection wall at the bathing ghats but things remain unchanged.
Behera said the protection wall has not been erected till date at the bathing ghats as promised by the forest officials. The Congress leader said it is the primary duty of the state government to save precious lives and urged the Chief Minister to constitute one special task force to drive away the killer crocodiles from Brahmani river within a fortnight.
PNN & Agencies
