SRIKAKULAM: Elephant menace continues unabated in the forest fringe villages in Srikakulam district as another herd has been entering the human habitations and damaging properties since the last few days. The herd of seven pachyderms have entered the Andhra forests from Odisha and are moving in the limits of Mandasa and Sompeta mandals.
They have destructed mango, cashew and banana crops of the farmers in tribal villages in the last two days. The farmers from Gaudu, Guranti and Bhogapuram mandals complain that they have been spending sleepless nights.
Two days ago, forest officials rushed to a village and initiated measures to send the elephants back to the forest.
Despite the forest officials made many attempt to drive out the herds, they failed. Even the Operation Gaja launched in 2007 yielded a little.
According to forest officials, seven people have been killed by the animals thus far while many have sustained severe injuries.
The elephants have entered into the Andhra forest on Saturday from the nearby Odisha region. We have taken measures to protect the tribal villagers as well as elephants,” said divisional forest officer CH Santi Swaroop. Since Saturday night, forest officials have been deployed in Mandasa and Sompeta regions to keep eye on the movements of elephants.