As a herd of jumbos continued wrecking havoc in the Raibania area, villagers have been staging a dharna since Saturday near an electrical structure at Shyamnagar seeking relief from the menace.
The agitating villagers led by local elected representatives alleged that they were facing a huge loss due to their standing crops being damaged by pachyderms and woes of prolonged power cut resorted by Nesco due to presence of elephants in their area.
As many as 14 gram panchayats including Shymnagar, Kalika, Khuada, Kalama and Sardarbandh of Raibania area of Jaleswar block were experiencing load shedding for days as the herd of elephants having 13 members including a tusker was moving in patches after it snaked into the pockets in search of food and fodder.
The agitators alleged that although they were assured by the Nesco officials that power supply would not be affected in the patches where there were no pachyderms, yet it was not done.
However, when asked, Executive Engineer, Jaleswar, Harish Chandra Panda said that the power, henceforth, would be cut only in the affected pockets.
Sources said that the herd entered in the Raibania area after straying from Rangamatia. They were roaming in Shyamnagar by resting in the forest of Bagabuda. During their stay, they had pulled down at least four dwelling houses, besides damaging agriculture fields and devouring stored grains and vegetables grown in the field.
In the meantime, Jaleswar MLA Aswini Patra urged the district administration to evacuate the residents from the genuinely affected patches and lodge them in safer places. He also urged that the victims be provided free meals besides compensation for the losses they incurred at the earliest.