Bhubaneswar: The recent sighting of two tuskers at the Sikharchandi hilltop has disrupted Sunday picnic plans for locals and tourists, as the area has been closed during the peak season to prevent human-animal conflicts.
The Chandaka Forest department’s driveaway operation has entered its second day, with officials deployed on-site to monitor the elephants’ movements.
As Sikharchandi is a popular spot for picnics and gatherings, the temporary closure has spoiled plans for visitors on this year’s last Sunday.
Many people and devotees, unaware of the situation, arrived at the site but had to return after seeing the restrictions in place.
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“We weren’t aware of the elephants’ presence on the hilltop.
We had planned a picnic here, but that’s not possible now,” said Sarada Das, a visitor from Cuttack.
Another visitor added, “Every year we come here with family to seek blessings at the shrine.
Due to the restrictions, we had to cancel our visit, as we want the forest officers to safely drive the tuskers back into the forest.”
“We are closely monitoring the situation and working to drive the elephants away as quickly as possible.
Three teams have been deployed for the operation,” said a forest ranger.
Chandaka DFO Binod Acharya added, “All teams, including those from the electricity department and other agencies, are working together to drive the tuskers away.
Once the elephants are safely relocated, the shrine will be reopened to the public.”