Baripada,September 27: Forest Department, Odisha started a 24-hour control room at Baripada divisional forest office in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district to monitor the movement of a herd of wild elephants, which has entered into neighbouring villages from adjoining West Bengal.
Official sources said around 70 wild elephants which have come from Dalma sanctuary of Jharkhand through West Bengal, have created panic in villages of Morada Reserve Forest Area under Rasagovindapur forest range. The elephants have made extensive damage to khariff and maize crops in last two days, but no damage to human lives were reported. A team of forest department with locals were trying to drive away the wild elephants with crackers and all without hurting them.
It is observed; wild elephants from Jharkhand area come to Nilagiri Forest area in Balasore district during October to January through an Elephant corridor and cause large scale damage to human life and crops. But, this year, they arrived early.
