The elephant menace continues to haunt Sundargarh district and man-animal conflict is on the rise. To control the movement of elephants and keep them away from human habitation is a major challenge for the officials of the Forest department.
Red chili powder is currently being used as a new technology by different forest divisions for containing the elephants. Awareness campaigns are being organised in different elephant-affected villages.
“As per the advice of the experts, we have recently introduced use of red chili powder for controlling movement of elephants into village areas,” said Assistant Conservator of Forest, Rourkela Forest Division JK Mohanty. “In the process, red chili powders pasted in jute bags dipped in burnt lubricant are hanged in strategic locations, mainly at the possible entry points of the elephants to the villages,” Mohanty said.
“According to experts, the red chili being highly allergic to the elephants, they get the smell from a distance and are bound to take a diverted route,” Mohanty added.
Significantly, the new technology, which was introduced on an experimental basis during last year, had drawn satisfactory results, sources said. Officials claim that once the elephants are forced to divert two- three times from a particular village, they automatically avoid the route.
Besides, various awareness programmes are also being organised in different elephant affected villages explaining in details to the villagers about the dos and don’ts, so that they do not panic during entry of elephant herd to the village. Considering the fact that elephants’ main reason of entering into village areas is food, the forest officials have also prepared a list of food items, which are a first choice of the pachyderms and therefore advised people not to store those items in their houses.
“Ripe jack fruit is one of most loved foods of elephants and they get to know its location from its smell,” said Mohanty.
According to sources, about 45 elephants in different groups have been seen at different locations of Sundargarh district. Separate teams of forest officials have been in alert situation and are closely monitoring their movement.
A 12- member elephant herd, presently located in Raiboga area of the district, was guided towards bordering Jharkhnda area. A five- member elephant herd, which had entered in to Kacharu gram panchayat under Kuanrmunda block of the district and killed three persons, including a woman and her son a few days back, is reportedly positioned at Dhumaguda reserve forest area under Hatibari police station area of the district. Similarly, another 25-30 elephants in three groups have been sighted in Banki forest range, K Bolang and Bimlagarh area of the district, source added.