The forest personnel here are maintaining strict vigil on the movement of a jumbo herd which is currently residing in a reserve forest of Mayurbhanj, close to Baleswar border.

The herd, after migrating from Jharkhand and having a brief stay in Bengal, strayed into Odisha. The 70-member herd includes about eight tuskers and 12 calves. The pachyderms are currently in the Asanbani forest under Betnati range since Wednesday night.

The jumbos after sneaking into Odisha through Rasgobindapur and Deuli have further followed their usual route-- a corridor which extends up to the Kuldiha sanctuary of Baleswar. In the previous years while their migration was witnessed between last week of November and first week of December, yet this year, they began their annual sojourn early most likely due to the approaching harvest period of sugarcane and maize in Bengal and Odisha.

These elephants, besides eating the standing paddy crops during flowering period, also are damaging the entire field. They are also damaging dwelling houses on their way.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Baleswar HB Udgata said the department is maintaining a close vigil. Fencing and trenches have been renovated as the herd might enter the district through Durgadevi. The herd is expected to cross Gopalpur and then enter into Nilgiri and finally into Kuldiha.

Baleswar has about 30 km trench length and 9 km solar fencing to protect human settlements from the jumbos. “About one kilometer solar fencing is either missing or damaged and restoration process is on. Further, the trench renovation is also made apprehending the jumbos’ entry,” said Udgata.