Elephants destroy houses and crops in Odisha's Lanjigarh
BHAWANIPATNA/BALANGIR : Wild elephants have been wreaking havoc in Lanjigarh for the last several days, damaging houses and standing crops in tribal villages of the block. In the last fortnight, eight houses and vast tracts of standing paddy, millets and Kandul crops have been damaged by the jumbos.
On Sunday, the elephants caused large-scale damage in Maskapadar and Khajuripadar villages under Chatrapur panchayat besides destroying houses of Medi Majhi and Subarna Majhi. On Saturday, the jumbos had damaged several houses and crops in Kutingpadar village.
Biswanathpur ranger Sudarshan Dehuri said forest personnel are closely monitoring the movement of elephants. Efforts are underway to chase the elephants back to the forest. Similarly in Balangir, a herd of 20 elephants has been damaging standing paddy crops in Kantabanji and Loisingha forest ranges since the last one month.
Areas bearing the maximum brunt of the elephant menace are Mahakhanda, Salemudua, Bagabahal and Badabanki in Kantabanji and Burda, Nagaon, Budhipadar, Ghusuramunda, Jogisarda, Badibahal, Bhalupali, Kadalipali, Bhaliamunda, Chouhanpali and Karanpali in Loisingha. Following complaints from local villagers, forest personnel have been deployed to drive away the elephants.