The elephant menace in the forest areas of Chhattisgarh is not stopping. Elephants crushed two women in Korba district, while two people are seriously injured due to elephant attack. The injured have been admitted to Korba hospital. On information, the Forest Department team reached the spot. Villagers are being warned to stay away from elephant roaming areas. Forest department personnel have also been asked to remain alert to keep an eye on the movement of elephants. More than 50 people have died due to elephant attacks in the Bilaspur range in the last five years.
According to the information, there is presence of 41 elephants in Chotiya dump area of Katghora forest division of Korba district. On Sunday, Narsingh, resident of village Korbi, his wife Rajkumari, sister Punni Bai and nephew Deepak Singh had gone to the forest to collect Karil and Putu. During this time the villagers encountered tusked elephants. Two women died on the spot due to elephant attack. Two people have been injured there. The deceased and the injured are said to be from the same family. Sister-in-law and sister-in-law have died in an elephant attack. Whereas nephew Deepak and deceased woman’s husband Narsingh are injured. As soon as information about the incident was received, DFO Kumar Nishant of Katghora Forest Division and Ranger Pondi reached Uproda Community Hospital.
Efforts continue to drive away elephants
According to forest department officials, a group of 41 elephants is roaming in the forest in Kendai and Aitama Nagar range. Elephants are continuously damaging crops. Tusk elephants, separated from the herd, came face to face with the villagers. The forest department has warned the villagers not to go to the elephant roaming area, yet the villagers go into the forest and become victims of accidents. The forest department team is trying to drive the elephants towards the forest.
Elephant-human conflict increasing continuously in Chhattisgarh
Human-elephant conflict in the northern part of Chhattisgarh has been a major cause of concern for the last decade. This is a major threat in Surguja, Jashpur, Raigarh, Korba, Surajpur, Ambikapur and Balrampur districts. According to forest department documents, there were only 32 elephants in the state in September 2002. This figure reached 122 in 2007 and 247 in 2017. By 2022, at least 350 to 400 elephants will be living permanently in Chhattisgarh. 16 groups of elephants are roaming in different areas. According to the report a year ago, 296 people have died in elephant attacks in Chhattisgarh in the year 2022. Let us tell you that a male elephant died on Sunday in Dharamjaigarh forest range of Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh. There is a possibility of electric shock.