Scores of persons have lost their lives in elephant attack in Sundargarh district in last few years. Balishankara block is one of the worst-affected since several herds of elephants regularly sneak into the area from Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
The elephants have not only been killing innocent persons but also damaging their crops and houses. The Forest department has not been successful to check the jumbo menace as man-animal conflict is a regular affair in Sundargarh district. Even if after losing their life in elephant attack, the family members of the deceased are yet to get their compensation from the Forest department.
One such case has come to the fore as a poor family of a deceased which had to suffer huge damages in elephant attack, besides losing a member more than two years ago, is yet to get compensation of `2 lakh from the Sundargarh forest division.
Sources said one Dasaru Majhi, a resident under Balishankara block under Sundargarh Forest division, had died in elephant attack more than two years ago. The marauding elephants had also damaged his house. After the death of Dasaru, his family members had been provided with `5,000 for his last rites.
But as per provision of the Government, since Dasaru died in elephant attack, his family members should get ` 2 lakh as compensation. But even after more than two years, Dasaru’s kin are yet to get any compensation. The family members have been running to the office of the Sundargarh Divisional Forest Officer, but in vain.
Dasaru’s son Nanu Majhi earns a meagre amount by working as a daily wage labour. Since the elephants had also damaged his house completely, he has not been able to repair his house as yet due to his poverty. “I do not know when I will get `2 lakh as compensation. I have been pleading with the authorities at several levels for the sum,” said Nanu.
“When Dasaru had died in elephant attack, I was not here. Now I am verifying all the papers provided by his family members, which are required to sanction the compensation. I will now ensure that his family members get their dues,” said Sundargarh DFO Arjun Behera.