In what can be termed as perennial brunt of industrialisation on tribals, a herd of 18 elephants, coming in search of food, destroyed houses and crops at Bileipada under the Barbil Forest Range in Keonjhar district on Sunday.
According to sources, the jumbos have destroyed houses of six tribal familes, parts of a temple, the Rameswar Sibalaya, and boundary wall of the Tata Sponge plant.
Villagers lamented that elephants are coming to their habitation taking advantage of darkness. “Ever after 67 years of Independence, our village has not been connected with electricity. Taking advantage of darkness, elephants are coming and destroying our houses and properties,” alleged villagers.
They said had there been light in the village; the elephants could have been warded off. They demanded adequate compensation and deployment of elephant trekking guards who would keep watch on pachyderms’ movements and inform them in advance. They too demanded that their village be provided electricity connectivity at the earliest.
Meanwhile, Bileipada section Forester laxmidhara Mahanta said affected people would be given compensation as per Government guidelines.