Balasore, Oct. 27: The forest department is taking measures to prevent the entry of elephants into the state through Mayurbhanj district.

Every year, a large number of pachyderms from Jharkhand’s Dalma sanctuary enter Mayurbhanj district through Bengal during the harvesting of paddy. Crossing the Bengal border, the elephant herds travel up to Kuldhia sanctuary of Balasore via Benoti forest range of Mayurbhanj.

The animals stay here for around a month and stray into human habitations causing extensive damage to paddy crops and houses. They also attack villagers at times.

During this time, forest officials have to monitor their movements and drive them out to prevent human-animal conflict. The department also has to pay hefty amounts as compensation to the victims.

At present, the forest department is digging trenches and erecting solar fences to check the movement of elephants. The work, being carried out at Rasgobindpur and Deuli forest ranges, is expected to be completed by the first week of November.

“We have completed a 2-km solar fence and will complete digging another 2km of trenches within two weeks,” said Baripada divisional forest officer Bijay Kumar Panda.

“The solar fencing is being installed only on cultivable private land. We are hopeful of completing the work by the first week of next month. We would also man the vulnerable entry points along the Subarnarekha irrigation canal to restrict the entry of the animals,” he said.

The department will dig trenches on a 10km stretch and erect solar fences along 5km. A sum of Rs 1 lakh has been sanctioned for each kilometre and an estimated Rs 4 lakh will be spent on digging each kilometre of trenches.

“These measures will check the elephant menace to a large extent. The compensation cost will go down significantly,” said Rasgobindpur forest range officer Batakrushna Padhi.