Five families of a village, scared by the destruction caused a herd of elephants, are spending their nights on top of trees for the past five days. These families in Pudamal village under Ullunda Forest Range have lost their houses and foodgrains.
After the news was published in The Pioneer a few days ago, the district administration has decided to rehabilitate four tribal families of Pudamal village. The families also met Collector Dasirathi Satpathy, who directed the Block Development Officer and the Ranger to provide houses and necessary help to the families belonging to Munda tribe. Terrorised by the pachyderms, the villagers are forced to spend nights on top of trees. As the sun sets, the animals return to the village and the panic stricken families including women and children, climb up the trees.
Villager Ganesh Munda said the locals were living in a state of panic as the animals were destroying everything that come their ways at night. "The Forest officials must do something to drive out the elephants from the area. We are leading a miserable life on the trees with children and women,” he added.