Patana/Joda: A herd of 22 elephants are on a damaging spree in Patana range of Keonjhar district. Sources said Friday that the animals have damaged paddy, maize and pumpkin cultivations in large acres land and at Khunjibeda, Dasapada and Gabhasarua villages under Saharapada forest section. The elephants also damaged Thursday night houses of three people at Khunjibeda village of Badabila panchayat. The herd is presently holed up in Jagannathpur cashew forest. Few days back, the animals had unleashed a reign of terror at Chatarpana, Baikala and Khuntapada villages. Saharapada block chairperson Rina Nayak, zilla parishad member Buddhadev Mahakud, ranger Ghasinath Patra and Saharapada forester Mohini Mohant visited the affected villages and took stock of the damages. Forest officials are keeping a close watch on the movement of the animals in the area as locals are in a state of panic. Two more herds comprising 29 elephants are also on the move in Bamebari and Balibandh ranges, officials of the Forest department said.
At night, the animals come out of the forests and head towards nearby human habitations and cause damages, locals said. They said that mining explosions in some of the forest pockets in Joda at night are forcing the animals to head into human settlements. The bright lights set up for mining are also disturbing the pachyderms, forcing them to leave their regular habitats. Forest officials are worried as chances of electrocution of the animals have increased with live wires hanging at low heights along some of the roads in these areas. Two elephants recently died in Keonjhar after coming in contact with live wires. Two officials have been suspended on grounds of negligence while on duty in this regard.
A total of 14 elephants in Balibandh section and 20 in Jalapasi section are creating mayhem, officials said. Earlier, an elephant corridor existed which facilitated the movement of the animals from Similipal and Saranda reserve forest via Sundargarh and Jharkhand. Due to rampant mining, the corridor has been damaged, as a result of which elephants are facing problems. The end result is that they are now disturbing human habitats. When contacted, DFO Dhanraj HD said that the department is working for safety of the animals in coordination with authorities of the Railways and Energy departments in the forest areas. Mine lease holders are also alerting the Forest department about elephant movements in their respective areas. An elephant squad has been formed to track the movement of the animals, Dhanraj informed.
