Mail News Service
Chakulia: Wild elephants have once again caused widespread damage in Chakulia block, targeting FCI and SFC godowns in their search for food. The incidents have been occurring frequently, with the elephants breaking into godowns to consume the stored grains.
On Thursday morning, two elephants broke the main gate of the SFC godown located in Hariniya, under Jamua Panchayat. Once inside, the elephants consumed five sacks of rice and scattered the grains around, causing significant destruction. This godown, owned by Chakulia businessman Ganesh Prasad Rungta, is rented to SFC for grain storage. The elephants have targeted this particular godown multiple times, leading to extensive damage, especially to the godown shutters, which they have broken on several occasions.
Ganesh Prasad Rungta revealed that wild elephants have caused damages worth lakhs of rupees in the last two years by vandalizing the facility. “In the past three days alone, the elephants have broken three shutters. Over the last two years, we have spent over three lakh rupees just on repairs,” Rungta shared.
Given the godown’s proximity to the forest, the elephants frequently visit the area in search of food. These repeated attacks on the godowns have left the owners concerned about the safety and sustainability of their businesses.
Elephant destroys house in Lodhasholi Village
In another incident, elephants have begun to venture into residential areas in search of food. On Thursday night, an elephant attacked the house of Kulon Bala Gop, a resident of Lodhasholi village in Chakulia. The elephant broke through the wall of the house, which Gop typically sleeps next to. Fortunately, Gop was late in sleeping that night and narrowly escaped injury.
“My family’s financial condition is already poor and now we face the threat of elephants destroying our homes,” said the elderly woman, emphasizing the need for compensation from the Forest Department to repair the damage.
In addition, the same elephant also entered the house of Anam Gop, another resident and consumed a sack of paddy. Villagers noted that an elephant had been sheltering in the forest nearby and every evening, it comes into the village, causing a lot of disturbance.
In light of the ongoing problems, the local community has requested that the Forest Department relocate the elephant to a safer location away from the village to prevent any further harm to the residents. They are also demanding immediate compensation to repair the damages to the homes.
