DEOGARH: Efforts by forest officials to keep elephants away from farm lands and habitations seem to be yielding little result as the animals continue to stray into villages, destroying houses and crops across villages in Deogarh district.
Straying of elephants into villages is not new in the district as most of them are located close to forests but this time, more number of elephants are entering human habitations in search of food. In the last one month, two persons have been trampled to death while one was critically injured in elephant attack in Badakudar village under Lulanga gram panchayat.
This year, elephants were first noticed in March and the frequency increased when farmers started transplanting kharif paddy around June. By the time, the crops reached growing stage, elephants entered agricultural lands to graze on them and subsequently, started coming in large herds. Each herd has at least 30 to 40 elephants.
For the last three weeks, farmers have been guarding their paddy crops which are nearing harvesting stage. “If it is one or two elephants, we can drive them away into forests with fire crackers but the animals are coming in herds in the night and it is impossible to control them”, said a farmer of Bhaluchaba, Bhagirathi Kumura.
On Tuesday night, two separate herds strayed into Phuljhari and Bhaluchaba village under Nuadihi panchayat besides, Siarmali village under Khilei panchayat and damaged acres of crops which were ready to be harvested.
Kumura informed that the crop yield this season was low due to delayed monsoon and elephants damaged whatever was left.Forest officials said since forest cover has depleted over the last few years, elephants are not getting enough fodder due to which they are straying into villages and paddy fields.According to reports of the Deogarh forest division, crops in 218.71 acres of land belonging to 610 farmers were damaged this year till October end.
While 61 houses have been partly damaged within this period, 26 were completely destroyed by the animals.This month so far, crops in 10 acres of land belonging to 35 farmers were damaged in Deogarh range and in Barkote range, the damage is 17.39 acres of crops. At least 195 farmers having crop lands in Reamal range are the worst affected as elephants have damaged 95.32 acres of paddy crops.
DFO Jamini Sarangi said the extent of crop loss is more this season. So far, Rs 15.12 lakh has been paid to affected farmers and Rs 2.6 lakh to 70 villagers who lost their houses in elephant attack.
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