Elephants destroy crops, houses in Hazaribag (India)

Author(s)

Times of India

Date Published
HAZARIBAG: A herd of 17 elephants destroyed houses, crops and stored mahua flowers and seeds in Kajri panchayat village in the district. The village mukhiya Babli Peter Horo narrated the terror to journalists on Saturday.

The mukhiya said during the last 10 days the elephants created chaos in their region and destroyed vegetables, which the villagers had grown in their fields. The rampage had forced most of them to leave their houses before they got trampled.

The mukhiya handed over a memorandum to the forester of Churchu forests and mentioned that the herd of elephants, which have now entered Honegarah forest range of Churchu block under Charhi police station in the district, have destroyed 17 houses where mahua flowers and seeds were stored. Kajri village is home to many tribals who drink mahua.

Other village representatives also joined Horo to demand immediate relief and rehabilitation for the villagers who had to incur heavy losses. DFO Hazaribag (forest) division Ajit Kumar Sinha said the elephants came to the district through Saria and Bagodar in Giridih first and then entered Chalkusha, Barkatha, Barhi, Ichak, Tati Jharia and Daroo blocks in the district. He said he is hopeful that the herd will soon enter Jhumra Pahar forests through the Churchu forests in Hazaribag as they are following the right path to enter Ramgarh and parts of Gola forests on their way to Bengal. He said, “We have received petitions for compensations for the damage caused by the elephants. It will be disposed off at the earliest.”