By SANTOSH MOHANTY
People in Nuakheta, Taras, Bargaunia, Dhokuta and other villages in Angul district are living in a state of panic as marauding tuskers have been roaming the area devastating farm products and human habitation for over a month. The villagers thank the providence to remain alive every passing day as the forest officials could not effectively handle the situation to drive away the marauding jumbos to nearby forest. They are not sure how long their nightmare will continue.
The villagers alleged that the forest staff at Bantala range have failed to take effective measures to drive away the pachyderms to their habitat as they are not adequately trained to man the operation. Although an elephant squad has been formed to drive away the jumbos from villages and orchards, herds of elephants and tuskers freely roam the area posing threat to human habitation.
Most recently a herd of 15 jumbos, mostly tuskers, rampaged farm products and human habitation in Dhokuta under Bantala forest range. Banchhanidhi Sahu, Surath Sahu, Mayadhar Sahu, Susant Sahu and others in Dhokuta village gheraoed forest staff alleging inaction by them to drive away the pachyderms. They demanded that adequate compensation be given to them immediately for the damages.
The aggrieved villagers alleged that the forest personnel engaged in driving away the jumbos to forest are not sincerely performing their duty and added that farming has almost come to a halt in the area as farmers are always apprehensive about devastation.
Pinkan Sahu from Nuakheta who is a +3 student of Bantala College said:' I always pray God to keep me alive to join classes while cycling down to Bantala through the jungle route. A number of times I have close encounters with tuskers and herds of elephants on the way. Two days ago, I have a close encounter with two tuskers. I thought I am gone, but luckily survived.' Tears rolled out from eyes as I hastily went past the giant creatures, he added.
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| Elephant corridor near Dhokuta across old Cuttack-Sambalpur road |
Pinkan's brother Mihir who runs a variety and snack store near Bantala square talks about his ordeal every night when wades through the jungle route to reach his village Nuakheta. ' I leave my shop early in the evening to reach my village Nuakheta safely. All through the way I pray God to reach home without encountering the tuskers.'
People living in interior regions of Bantala range alleged that power cuts throughout the night has compounded their miseries as the electricity officials at the behest of forest staff disconnect power to villages lest the jumbos might be electrocuted.
Nature lovers and volunteers working for reducing Elephant-Man conflict in Bantala range said the district forest wing must rope in adequately trained staff to counter such a menace that occurs regularly. They said awareness meetings undertaken by Bantala forest range office on elephant menace have become futile as such exercises are limited to a few villages. There is a need to conduct such awareness meetings to reduce elephant-man conflict on a bigger platform for its effectiveness, they reasoned.
