Elephants enter Jajpur, damage crops, houses (Kendrapada) Times of India December 9, 2023 Around 12 elephants entered Chingudipala, Gurujanga, Kaliapani, Ostia, Patana, Kumudibahali, Gokhata, Dhabahali and other villages in Jajpur district’s Sukinda forest range and damaged ripe paddy and vegetable crops on Wednesday and Thursday, in search of food. They damaged houses in eight villages too. Two persons, Chakara Pradhan, 23, and Barsa Pradhan, 24, of Taladiha were injured when elephants attacked them on Thursday. Both are undergoing treatment at the community health centre, Sukinda. Farmers alleged that it has become a regular affair. “We submitted a memorandum to the forest department urging them to check wild elephants. But the department has failed to solve the problem,” alleged Chandramani Mohant of Ostia village. “It is also difficult for farmers to move alone in the area at night fearing attacks by elephants. The farmers must be given suitable compensation for the loss due to elephant menace. The animals have already destroyed large tracts of paddy. I raised banana over two acres of land. Elephants damaged many banana crop on Wednesday,” said Jinita Munda, the former sarpanch of Kaliapani gram panchayat. With vegetables and paddy ready for harvest in the villages, the people are fearful that the elephants might cause damage to their crops. An anti-depredation force has been deployed in areas prone to elephant attacks. “Some elephants strayed from the nearby forest in Keonjhar district into the villages and damaged paddy crops and some mud-walled houses recently. The animals have been roaming in the surrounding villages. A team of forest staff have been deployed in the villages as a protective measure there. We are trying to drive the herds out by beating drums and lighting fires,” said Bipin Bihari Routray, the forest range officer of Sukinda forest range. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/elephants-enter-jajpur-damage-crops-houses/articleshow/105853392.cms