Odisha Still Awaits Elephant Corridor Management Plan To Reduce Jumbo-Man Tussle

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Odisha has 14 elephant corridors, which are mostly used by jumbos for moving to different forest locations,  known to us as their migration routes. However, the Odisha forest and environment department has allegedly not taken appropriate measures to protect these corridors for the safe passage of the world's largest living animals.

These corridors are snapped by human habitation, railway lines, highways and high tension overhead  electric lines that pose danger to the animals. The elephants are often prone to attacks by people living in the areas close to the corridors. Moving vehicles and trains also pose serious threat to their lives. These elephant corridors are fragmented beyond repair, the environmentalist said and added that the government of the day must prepare a comprehensive plan of action to set right the issue. They said construction of underpasses beneath highways and railway lines should be taken up on a war footing to ensure a hassle free passage for the pachyderms.

The Elephant Corridor signboard put up by Angul forest division in Odisha to aware the passers by for staying away from the migration route of the jumbos 

As the elephant corridors have been snapped by mindless construction in and around the passage, the pachyderms have no other go than to intrude into human habitation and therefore the elephant-man conflict goes on.

It is worth mentioning here that, in the past two years, as many as 40 live were lost and scrores injured following attack by elephants in Angul-Talcher and Dhenkanal regions of Odisha that houses most jumbos in the state. The elephant population in Angul forest division has been increasing in the past few years, according to the officials of the forest wing. The elephant-man tussle has become day to day affair  as marauding tuskers go on rampage in several villages in Angul forest division forcing people to stay indoors even during day. Jumbos prefer to stay in herds in some villages like Saharagoda, Dhokuta, Saradhapur and Purnagarh under Angul forest division where village forests are mostly found. And, this has become a bane for the denizens of the regions. The villagers of the above mentioned areas said the wild elephants wreak havoc in their locality destroying their farming and houses at night and the menace continued till dawn.

People in Nuakheta, Talagarh and Bargaunia in Angul district said they are living in constant fear as jumbos roam in their mango orchards all along the night to eat magoes. They have completely devastated their orchards, the villagers said and added that the wild herds have hit hard on their sustenance as during mango season they earn money by selling the fruits in the local markets. They lamented that this year they have not dared to go their orchards and collect mangoes as herds of elephants raom freely there.

Social activist working for conservation of wildlife sepecies in Angul district said as the migration has been hindered, the elephants have been forced to remain in a particular forest region for long and it is natural they run out of food. The jumbos have other alternative than to barge into human habitation where they get food, the activists added.

They said as by nature elephants are migratory and cannot move due to hindrances, it is quite natural that they become irritated and go on rampage in villages attacking people on their way.  

A few years ago a Corridor Management Plan was prepared by Odisha government, but till date no action was taken in this regard. A report said concerned Divisional Forest Officers(DFOs) were entrusted with the responsibililty to carry out a plan of action for corridor management and thereby reduce elephant-man conflict in vulnerable forest regions in the state. But, little was known about the fate of the corridor management plan.

 

Jumbos Prowl Bantala Region, Forest Staff Shortage Worsens Situation

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

A new but dangerous trend is slowly emerging in Bantala region in Angul district as herds of elephants are heading towards human habitation wreaking havoc among the people.

Shortage of trained forest staff has further worsened the situation. Reports said three forest range officers have been asked to manage the affairs of six ranges coming under the jurisdiction of Angul Forest Division. The situation has come to such a pass that the most vulnerable Bantala forest range has been deprived of a full time forest range officer as the present incumbent Madhab Nayak has been given the additional responsibility of Jarapada forest range, 30 km from Bantala.

A skeleton staff in most forest ranges under Angul Forest Division has severely affected the drive to keep at bay marauding jumbos from human habitation and urban pockets as some forest ranges are headed by Deputy Forest Range Officers.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Vivek Kumar has admitted that the forest division is presently understaffed, but hoped that things will become normal as soon as new postings will be made. He, however, did not clarify when the vacancies will be filled up.   

Earlier, the jumbos were mostly noticed in and around villages situated close to reserved forest areas like Nuakheta, Talagarh, Bargaunia, Maranda and Khinda. The situation has been changed in the recent days as pachyderms, mostly tuskers, are prowling the streets and by-lanes of Bantala, Khalgaon, Sankhapur, Sarangpur, Dhakuta and other areas which are situated away from forest region.

A few days ago, marauding tuskers were seen near Community Health Centre at Bantala sending shockwaves in the minds of doctors and patients as well. This incident has triggered fear among the people of Bantala. Most shopkeepers down their shutters immediately after evening fearing jumbo attack. A month ago, tuskers were seen moving near Bantala Sishu Mandir in the early hours. Although there were no reports of any elephant attack in the area so far, people have become apprehensive that the worst might happen one day as none can guarantee the marauding tuskers will not attack passing vehicles and houses.

The day is not far off when Bantala will experience the same situation like the state capital, Bhubaneswar, where elephants from Chandaka elephant reserve, roam freely in the market places. Bantala is close to Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary, and therefore, Bhubaneswar-like situation might not be ruled out.      

Odisha Govt, Angul Forest Division To Jointly Identify Herbal Plants At Mandaragiri

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

The State Medicinal Plant Board and Angul Forest Division will jointly embark on a mission to identify herbal plants in Mandaragiri mountain which is a home to rare medicinal herbs and plants.

Widely known as  a bioreserve in the district, the Mandaragiri mountain is spread over 625 hectares and situated on the confluence of three reserve forest areas under Angul Forest Division. The mountain with rare medicinal herbs is situated close to the district headquarters town of Angul which is a central region of Odisha.

Forest officials said initially the study for identifying herbal plants, species and shrubs will be conducted over the dense forest region of nearly 200 hectares and added that the work will be extended later to other parts of the forest region.

The forest officials said a team of six members from the Capital city Bhubaneswar has discussed with the concerned staff responsible for study and identification of herbal plants in Mandaragiri. Six Van Suraksha Samities (VSS) of Panchamahala, Tumuni, Bhaliapal, Saharaguda and Saradhapur have been protecting the biosphere over the years in close partnership with the local forest wing.

Social activists and local environmentalist said the Mandaragiri mountain is a home to as many as 42 species of herbal plants most of which might be extinct from the earth if necessary steps are not taken for their survival.

Villagers of Mushapapuli and Saradhapur said Mandaragiri mountain had played a key role during Samudra Manthan(Stirring of Ocean) in the mythological era. It was used as stirring stone for such purpose. The stirring of ocean produced nectar. The lords took nectar and Mandaragiri mountain earned  holiness to be a part of such a sacred event. Due to the sanctity of Mandaragiri mountain, whosoever touches its soil becomes sacred and recovers from all diseases, the villagers added.

Of late, there has been growing demand for recognition of Mandaragiri as a major tourist spot of Odisha which is potential enough to contribute immensely to the local economics through generation of livelihood opportunities for the people of the region.