Betanoti/Patana: To ensure safety of elephants in Similipal forest under Betanoti forest range of Mayurbhanj district, scores of ‘Gaja Sathis’ will keep track of the animals. Such a step is significant as every year a large number of pachyderms die due to electrocution and poaching. Also, many people die in elephant attacks every year in the state. Sources said that the Forest department has decided to appoint 175 ‘Gaja Sathis’ in the range. They will work with regular forest officials in patrolling and guarding the elephants in various pockets.
As per the directive of the Odisha government, the range office has been instructed to recruit 175 ‘Gaja Sathis’ from villages close to various elephant corridors and nearby forests. The recruitment process has already started. Training of the ‘Gaja Sathis’ will begin September 1. Apart from keeping vigil on the elephant herds, ‘Gaja’ Sathis will assist forest officials in their work. They will also launch an awareness campaign about the need to prevent man-elephant conflicts whenever the animals stray into human habitations, said Betanoti forester Prashant Kumar Singh. Sources said that at present nine elephants are wandering in Durgapur forest under this range while two are roaming around about in KCPur and Badam forest ranges.
Meanwhile, reports from Patana of Keonjhar district said elephants are on a damaging spree in Partana range during the last few weeks. A herd of elephants also strayed from Karanjia range of Mayurbhanj district and entered Saharapada range Saturday night. The animals damaged four houses at Chatarpana, Baikala and Khuntapada villages. They also consumed large quantities of rice which had been stored and damaged paddy on acres of land. The herd was split into two groups and they strayed into the Jagannathpur and Gojitangiri forests, said ranger Ghasinath Patra.
People in the area have been spending sleepless nights due to elephant menace, he added. For the last few days, the animals have been unleashing a reign of terror in several other villages such as Jamunalia, Talasarua, Haladibata, Nuagan and Dubeipentha. They damaged crops and houses in Patana a few days ago as Forest department personnel failed to contain the marauding elephants, locals alleged Affected people alleged that they are not being provided with the right amount of compensation for the losses they have suffered due to the wild elephants. As a result many persons are not being able to repair their houses damaged by the pachyderms
