Raigarh: In the forest division of Dharamjaigarh of Raigarh district, as many as 150 elephants are reported to have moved into the Lotan-Edukala area, particularly compartment 483 RF of the Chhal range. Of the total number, 36 elephants are still wandering in the surrounding area of Bokramuda village which makes people feel scared. At the present time, there are festivities of Dussehra and Diwali in which people have started moving out of their homes at night to go to their local temple, but they are afraid of elephant attacks.
Both the forest department and the Elephant Mitra team are tracking the herd’s movements to avoid any mishaps for the people living in the region. The provincial authorities have called on the people in the village to be careful and avoid approaching the elephants. As per a report on the Raigarh Forest Division website, at the table of elephants straying in the Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh, 157 elephants were split into different groups. Of these 157 new elephants, 143 are in the Dharamjaigarh forest division, and the rest of the 14 are in the Raigarh forest division.
This big group comprises 40 bull elephant, 79 females, and 38 calves. The increase in such a population has posed a lot of concerns for citizens in rural areas, particularly because the movement of animals is not predictable.
Several conflicts of this kind have already occurred; last night, this herd destroyed crops belonging to 37 Jessamine farmers, jeopardizing their numerous revenues in the agricultural industry. These have aggravated the situation as many farmers are anxious about their source of income, as the elephants remain in the area. The forest department is also always alert and closely monitoring the movement of the elephants with a view to avoiding further losses. However the possibility of further crop raiding and meeting the elephants still remains a bane during this sensitive time.
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