Elephants created havoc in the fields, created panic among farmers
Raigarh. With the onset of summer in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh, the menace of wild elephants has started once again. Last night, wild elephants have damaged the crops of more than half a dozen farmers in different villages of Raigarh and Dharamjaygarh forest ranges. Also, at the paddy procurement center, 2 wild elephants have damaged 4 bags of paddy. According to the information received in this regard, as soon as summer starts, the wild elephants roaming in the forests of Raigarh district turn towards the villages. Wandering in search of food and water, wild elephants sometimes knock on villages and cause havoc and return back to the forests. In the same sequence, last night two wild elephants knocked at the paddy procurement center of Bangursia village, about 15 kilometers away from Raigarh district headquarters.
Where wild elephants have damaged 4 bags of paddy kept in the paddy store. The villagers of the village told that as soon as autumn begins, wild elephants reach the village. Apart from the lush green crops in the fields, the scent of paddy attracts wild elephants, due to which elephants keep damaging the crops. Forest Department official said that 30 to 40 bags of paddy were kept outside in Bangursiya paddy procurement centre. Last night, wild elephants damaged four bags of paddy here. People at the paddy procurement center have been asked to keep the paddy inside in the morning. According to the information, these days a group of 67 wild elephants are roaming separately in Dharamjaigarh and Chaal range. This group includes 14 males, 36 females and 17 cubs. In this, there are 14 wild elephants in Boro apart from 14 in Kudekela of Bark, 12 in Bark, 15 in Chingari of Lailunga.
Along with this, there is presence of wild elephants in different villages also. Similarly, these days 15 wild elephants are roaming in the forests of Raigarh forest range, which includes 7 males, 5 females and 3 cubs. 82 wild elephants are roaming in the district including Raigarh and Dharamjaygarh forest range. Last night, wild elephants damaged paddy crop in Amapali, paddy crop in Nagdarha, paddy crop in Bansajhar, potato and wheat crop of two farmers in Ganjpur of Lailunga range. Similarly, in Bangurasia of Raigarh forest range, wild elephant has damaged sacks of paddy and also groundnut crop.
