BHUBANESWAR: The Ekamra Kanan and Sikharchandi hill in the capital city have been closed for visitors from Saturday following movement of elephants in both the areas. The elephants have strayed from the nearby Chandaka wildlife sanctuary, officials said.
The move has been taken in view of the picnic season and gathering of large number of picnickers at Sikharchandi hill. Despite the Chandaka wildlife division cautioning people about the elephant movement in the area, no one paid heed, compelling the officials to make it a no-entry zone.
“Over 100 vehicles including two-wheelers entered Sikharchandi hill on Friday despite our warning that two elephants from Bharatpur forests of Chandaka had been roaming in the hill area and presence of humans could lead to a conflict situation. As the situation remained critical, we took the help of Commissionerate Police to prevent visitors from entering the site from Saturday,” said divisional forest officer (DFO) of Chandaka Wildlife Division Binod Acharya.
As an elephant is also moving around Regional Plant Resource Centre (RPRC) and Ekamra Kanan areas, morning walkers and visitors have been prohibited from entering the areas from Saturday, he said. “We have urged police and RPRC authorities to restrict visitors’ entry to both the places till the elephants are safely guided away to the Chandaka forest by the forest staff,” the DFO added.
Forest officials said two tuskers of a herd of 15-16 elephants from Bharatpur forests of Chandaka have strayed into the Sikharchandi hill and roaming in the area for the last four days. Similarly, another elephant from the Chandaka sanctuary has entered RPRC-Ekamra Kanan premises and moving in the area for the last three days.
Around 20 frontline staff of Chandaka division are now monitoring the movement of the two tuskers at Sikharchandi hill, while another group of six forest personnel have been tracking the lone elephant in Ekamra Kanan.
A senior forest official said due to the shrinking and fragmented habitat, elephants from Chandaka forests often stray into these places in search of food. “Restriction on visitors’ entry was necessary to prevent any conflict-like situation and avoid any untoward incident,” he said.