Elephant movement across several parts of Odisha‘s Mayurbhanj district has intensified during the paddy harvesting season, leaving farmers anxious and disrupting agricultural activities. The latest incident occurred at Pingudi Baincha village under Sanamanida panchayat in the Rasgovindpur Range, where a farmer abandoned his field and ran for safety after an elephant suddenly emerged from nearby bushes.

Frequent Sightings Near Villages

Reports indicate a rise in elephant disturbances across multiple ranges, particularly in Morada and Rasgovindpur blocks, with herds frequently venturing close to human settlements. Forest Department personnel reached Pingudi Baincha after receiving alerts and monitored the tusker’s movement to prevent any untoward incident.

Villagers say elephants routinely enter settlements after dusk, damaging crops throughout the night. A video that surfaced on Friday showed elephants straying into farmland even during the daytime, trampling standing crops. According to forest officials, the lone tusker seen in the footage had separated from its herd following a fight with another tusker and has since been roaming near villages.

Forest Department Steps Up Awareness Efforts

Forest personnel have been conducting awareness drives using microphones to warn residents about elephant movement and discourage risky encounters. Officials noted that earlier instances of farmers using bows, arrows, and poison against elephants have reduced significantly due to sustained awareness campaigns.

However, farmers remain distressed over the lack of timely government compensation for crop loss.

Villagers Seek Timely Compensation

Local residents said compensation amounts are inadequate and often delayed, adding to their financial strain during the harvest season. They also expressed fear over the frequent movement of elephant herds migrating from Jharkhand, Similipal, Chhattisgarh and different parts of Mayurbhanj district.

Also Read: Multiple elephant herds enter Keonjhar’s Champua, villagers on high alert

With elephant activity expected to continue during the harvest period, farmers are urging authorities to expedite compensation and strengthen measures to prevent human-elephant conflict.

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