Migrating tuskers from Dalma have found shelter in Charchakka forest

Jamshedpur, Nov. 30: For the first time, tuskers from Dalma have found the perfect shelter. Their new home has been built by the forest department on the same corridor that is frequently ravaged by them.

For thousands of villagers in Ghatshila sub-division in East Singhbhum district, this harvest season has also been relatively incident-free as at least 12 elephants, including a calf, are huddled in Charchakka forest for the past fortnight.

In a first-of-its-kind project in this part of the country, the Dhalbhum division of the forest department started bamboo plantation in Charchakka area, about 75km from here, in 2003 to make it a haven for migrating herds. In fact, a calf was born in the forest today, enough evidence that the elephants have liked the place, too.

Divisional forest officer (Dhalbhum) A.T. Mishra told The Telegraph that the herd was expected to stay at Charchakka for another 20 days or so. “A calf was born this morning. Villagers informed us about the same with the mother elephant being surrounded by the herd. The villagers have also been asked not to disturb the herd,” he said.

Mishra added that the herd was migrating towards Bengal’s West Midnapore district from Dalma sanctuary. “It’s usual for the herd to migrate to other places before the harvesting season. The Charchakka forest falls on the migratory route of elephants,” he said.

“It’s surprising that the herd has not left the forest. Bamboos must have attracted them. Moreover, the place has now taken the shape of a full-fledged jungle. We are very happy about the development,” Mishra said.

Elaborating on the bamboo plantation, he said that the forest department had developed a land for bamboo plantation on more than 150 hectares in Charchakka.

The plantation had been carried out with a view to distract the elephants of Dalma from straying into human habitats, especially into the paddy fields during harvesting season. The villagers also chipped in with forming eco-development committees and forest protection groups. Eventually, the newly developed forest would become a new home of the tuskers because the forest cover in Dalma and elsewhere continues to fade away because of pollution and unorganised tree-felling, he added.

Two other places near Charchakka — Narsingpur and Devsole — were also developed with bamboo plantation to attract migrating tuskers.

Mishra said that a week ago one of the elephants was electrocuted and killed. “Originally, it was a herd of 12 elephants. But one of the female elephants, while uprooting an electric pole, came in contact with a live wire and thus electrocuted,” said the forest officer. However, the number has come around to a dozen once again after the baby elephant was born.

Every year, tuskers destroy crops in villages adjacent to the corridor spread across Jharkhand Bengal and parts of Orissa also. With the new shelter for the elephants, the villagers heaved a sigh of relief, if only for some time. “The elephants would stay at Charchakka for at least 20 days,” said Mishra.