Elephant herds wreak havoc in Garhwa

[Mrudul Godbole]

Elephant herds wreak havoc in Garhwa
TNN | Nov 5, 2012, 03.19AM IST

GARHWA: Herds of wild elephants have been wreaking havoc in several villages of the Bhandaria and Dhurki blocks since the last couple of days.

While these rogue elephants trampled a villager to death in the forest at Binda village in Bhandaria block, another such herd destroyed more than 10 acres of standing paddy crop at Kadwa village in Dhurki block on Wednesday.

Sukan Bhuiyan (52) was trampled to death by a wild elephant who had strayed from its herd in a nearby forest at Binda village in Bhandaria block. Bhandaria forest ranger Augustine Tigga rushed to the village on receiving the information and handed over Rs 10,000 to the kin of the deceased under the family benefit scheme. The ranger said that the tusker had strayed from its herd. "We are trying to drive away the tusker from the forest," Tigga added.

Meanwhile, a herd of 20-25 wild tuskers have unleashed terror at Kadwa village in Dhurki block destroying more than 10 acres of paddy crop. Among those who suffered major damages of paddy crops included Lakhan Yadav, Vikram Yadav, Charitra Yadav and Ram Prasad Yadav. "We are having sleepless nights as with these elaphants on a rampage," moaned Lakhan Yadav.

Forest department officials are being regularly informed about the frequent attacks by the wild tuskers. But the officials have failed to take any measure to drive away the wild tuskers from the area so far," said another villager Vikram Yadav.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

It is so unfortunate that the only action of forest department is to drive away the elephants. In this game the forest department has become a mute spectator. Legally forest lands are diverted for industries, mining, dams and canals etc and the forest department is a spectator.

The west bengal side had erected fencing to stop these elephants from crossing over to west bengal. It is said that the villagers cut off some fencing and then elephants could move over to west bengal. There the job of the forest department officials is to drive away the elephants to the jharkhand side. From Jharkhand they come to Odisha. Part of our cultural heritage, the elephant symbolised by the Elephant headed God Ganesha is the child of Lord Shiva and Parvati. However, now the elephants are loved by none and appear to be children of lesser Gods.

While filming elephants, I am increasingly getting sad and disheartened at the state of affairs.