While basic amenities like ‘Bijli, Sadak and Pani’ usually become a major poll plank, here is an exception.
In some of the villages of Rajnagar and Mahakalpada blocks on the fringes of the Bhitarkanika National Park, crocodile and wild boar menace has been a key poll issue in the panchayat election ahead. Notably, these villagers are a regular victim of attack by crocodiles and wild boars.
The wild boar threat is particularly found in lanjuda, Gugua, Suniti, Jamboo, Panikhia, Bhopal, Kaitala, Doligaon, Narasinghpur, Ratapanga, Tantiapala, Jagatjora and Batighar areas under Mahakalapada block. Similarly, in Rajnagar block, the problem is endemic in Gupti, Rangani, Talachua , Iswarpur, Pravati, Rajendranarayanpur, Chinchiri, Kathuaganda, Gupti, Satabhaya, Barahipur, Osia, Palatunga, Ankua, lalitapatia, Dangamal,Khola,Bhitarkanika and Kalibhanjadiha villages. Despite repeated complaints of rising man-animal conflicts, the forest department has failed to provide any relief.
“Though we have urged the authorities and local leaders to take steps to provide relief, but to no avail. The wild boars damage crops over large patch of land and attack the locals every year,” alleged 60-year-old Jitendra Nayak, a resident of Kharianta village, who was injured in a boar attack last year. 74-year-old Asalata Koyel, a resident of Ratapanga under Gogua panchayat of Mahakalapada, also
voiced similar concern.
Similarly, crocodile menace is a main poll plank in the 35 crocodile-infested villages within the periphery of the Bhitarkanika National Park. Not less than 20 persons have lost their lives in past four years, whereas more than 50 sustained critical injury due to crocodile attacks. Many injured in the attacks are yet to get compensation.
According to locals, the villagers nearby the park mostly depend on fishing in the rivers and creeks within the mangrove forest areas of Bhitarakanika. As the crocodile population has been increasing year after year in the water bodies of the park, most of the time the estuarine crocodiles stray from their natural habitat to the nullahs ,creeks and rivulets during the high tide period and stay in the river. The reptiles kill the human beings, cattle and other animals when found in the water, informed the locals.
Jagannath Das of Rajnagar said that there has been no relief from the problems despite repeated complaints. So, a majority of the voters are now in a mood not to be hoodwinked by the hollow promises of the candidates, who are contesting the panchayat polls. They have decided to support only those who will help them mitigate the problem.