Elephant ransacks house

Newindpress.com

July 31 2007

JHARSUGUDA: An elephant ransacked a house in Bandarpada village under ward 12 of Jharsuguda Municipality early on Monday.

The elephant, believed to have strayed from Bagdihi forest of Bamra range, damaged the house of Shiba Kisan and ate up two bags of paddy kept in the house.

Forest Range Officer A K Samal said he had submitted report about the damage to the Jharsuguda tehsildar and steps have already been initiated for payment of compensation.

Elephants have trampled over more than 10 persons in the last five years ever since industrialisation took off in the district. On December 30 last, at least five elephants had gone on a rampage in Jammal village in Kolabira. The group had gone berserk and one elephant had even fallen into an open well and had to be retrieved.

Experts attribute the frequent straying of elephants into human habitation to the growing decibel and destruction of elephant corridor due to the massive industrialisation.