Odisha tuskers still pose a threat

Forest officials, who have started paying compensation to villagers whose houses and crops were damaged by elephants from Odisha that had come into Seraikela-Kharsawan district near Jamshedpur, are worried that the herd, now stationed in Bengal, may pass through the same area during its return journey.

Standing crops and over 150 houses were damaged and several people of a dozen villages injured by the herd of 18 elephants from Keonjhar forests of neighbouring Odi-sha since November last year.

Seraikela district forest officer A. Ekka said the herd of migrating elephants may return to Odisha by taking the Ghatshila- Seraikela and Rajnagar route.

"The villagers have started getting compensation. I hope this time, they will not object to mahouts operating in the vicinity once they are pressed into service to drive away the herd to Odisha during its return journey. This may take place any day now," he said, referring to the time when a batch of mahouts could not do much as angry villagers refused to cooperate with them after their houses had been damaged.

So far, according to Seraikela range officer Suresh Ram, they had paid Rs 9.55 lakh as compensation to 32 villagers by cheque and demand draft.

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