Elephants at Nilgiri. Telegraph picture

Balasore, Nov. 12: Fear of elephant attack has driven Nilgiri villagers out of their houses to safer places, including treetops.

Around 95 migrant jumbos are now stationed at Kunchibania in the Satkosia reserve forest of Nilgiri range. Besides causing widespread damage to paddy crops, the herd of jumbos is also damaging mud and thatched houses. They have pulled down at least eight houses while moving from village to village.

The district administration has identified six temporary shelters, where nearly 600 people have taken shelter at night. Some others, however, are staying perched on trees.

“We have faced the jumbos’ wrath several times in the past. They have also caused human casualty. This time, therefore, we decided to move out of our houses,” said local resident Rabi Rout.

“We have created six centres to accommodate the panic-stricken people. However, still some people are willingly taking shelter on treetops,” said Balasore divisional forest officer Harbardhan Udgata.

Those staying in the temporary shelters have demanded free kitchen facilities.

“Earlier, we used to get cooked food. Given the circumstances, we cannot go out to work and earn in the wake of the jumbo terror. Therefore, we are demanding cooked food,” said another villager.

However, on this, Udgata said: “Our department has no provision to provide cooked food.”

A herd of 97 elephants had strayed into Nilgiri from Jharkhand and have been camping in various reserve forests in the block for the past five days. In the herd, two adult female elephants have already died.

Kuldhia range officer Rabinarayan Mohapatra said that while one died on November 7 of anaemia in the post-delivery period, the other died of intestinal problems. “However, the autopsy reports are awaited,” he said.

The forest department with assistance of local police and volunteers is keeping a close watch on the situation.

“We are monitoring the elephants’ movement. To scare them from entering the villages, we are going by the traditional methods such as bursting crackers, beating drums and rolling fire balls,” said Nilgiri range officer Laxman Pradhan.