
Picture by Uttam Kumar Pal
Balasore: A herd of elephants have strayed into Nilgiri on Tuesday morning from the Mayurbhanj district end, causing panic among villagers.
There are about 80 jumbos in the herd, and they are staying in the Tinkosia reserve forest under the Nilgiri range. The elephants were located at Asanbani under Betnati range of Mayurbhanj district and have now entered Balasore.
The jumbos are expected to move further to the Kuldhia Wildlife Sanctuary.
"About 80 elephants entered our territory on Tuesday morning. A close watch is being maintained about their movement," said Kuldhia range officer Laxman Pradhan.
Balasore divisional forest officer Biswaraj Panda said: "In Nilgiri, there are around 10-km-long trenches and about 26-km-long solar fencing to prevent the entry of elephants into human habitations."
"Besides, adequate manpower with traditional tools has been deployed in depredation squad," he said.
"Staff members from other ranges of the district, besides Nilgiri and Kuldhia, have been mobilised in Nilgiri to guide the elephants and provide them safe passages. Volunteers (Sabuja Bahini) have been engaged, along with our employees," said Panda.
"If situation warrants, villagers of affected patches will be evacuated to safer places," he said.
Still more than 10 elephants are moving in the Betnati area in a left-out group, said a forest official, adding that another herd of about 30 pachyderms were on the Bengal border.
"This is very critical phase. Every year, jumbos do migrate in this period, and following their conventional path, they go up to Kuldhia from Deuli via Rasgobindapur and Betnati. A strict vigil is being maintained to ensure safety of elephants as well as human population," said Baripada divisional forest officer Swayam Malik.