A crocodile beside a rivulet in Kendrapara. Telegraph picture

Kendrapara, Dec. 1: Officials of the state forest department have told residents of riverside villages to be cautious while venturing into the water bodies.

Estuarine crocodiles are straying into creeks and rivulets near the human habitation. This has led to the outbreak of crocodile-man conflict in several areas near the Bhitarkanika National Park.

“It’s a precautionary measure to curb any man-animal conflict. We have sounded an alert,” said divisional forest officer Kedar Kumar Swain.

Vans with public announcement system are on the move. Leaflets and advisories are being distributed among the villagers, asking them to keep safe distance from the crocodile-infested water bodies.

Around 34 villages have been identified as crocodile-infested zones. Local sarpanchs and panchayat representatives have been instructed to alert the villagers. Sections of the villages’ bathing ghats have been barricaded with bamboo fences. People have been told to bathe inside the barricaded areas, said Swain.

“We are living in constant threat of crocodile attacks. We live areas that are criss-crossed by water bodies. How would we keep distance from them? We are helpless,” said Pravati villager Rama Narayan Mandal.

“The forest department is conserving and safeguarding the crocodiles, thereby exposing the local people to the threat,” said sarpanch of Talchua gram panchayat Gitanjali Mandal.

The sanctuary authorities had clamped a three-month entry ban on tourists. It was lifted on August 1.

Since past one month, no report of crocodile attack has been reported. However, the department has received reports of crocodiles making their way into the village-side water bodies. Though the breeding season of these animals conclude by the end of monsoon, crocodile-man conflicts often reach a flashpoint in the peripheral areas of the sanctuary during winter. The sanctuary is home to 1,644 adult and juvenile crocodiles.

Six units consisting of local youths have been deployed to ward off the trespassing crocodiles. They have been provided with nets and boats, said a forest official.