Odisha's Bonai forest division faces crisis as human-elephant conflicts claim lives
By : Akshaya Kumar Sahoo
Update: 2024-10-07 04:28 GMT
Bhubaneswar: A growing wave of human-elephant conflicts in Odisha’s Bonai forest division has sparked serious concerns among both authorities and residents.
Since April, eight people from villages within the division have been killed in elephant attacks, according to reports from Sundergarh district. In addition to these tragic deaths, the marauding pachyderms have caused significant damage to standing crops and horticultural resources, deepening the crisis for the local population.
The Bonai forest division recorded 12 human fatalities in the 2023–24 fiscal year alone. Despite a series of preventive measures—including drone surveillance and round-the-clock human monitoring of elephant movements—the efforts have been insufficient in stopping the animals from straying into human settlements and causing widespread destruction.
According to official sources, an estimated 80–90 elephants inhabit the forests of Bonai. Of this population, two elephants, known for their aggressive behavior, are responsible for a large proportion of the recent casualties in the Koida and Bonai forest ranges.
The most recent incident occurred early Friday morning when a tusker killed an elderly villager. This attack followed an incident just a day prior, when two forest department employees were injured while tracking the movements of elephants in the area.
As the death toll rises, so does public anger. Villagers have expressed growing frustration with the forest department, accusing officials of failing to protect them from these deadly encounters. Many of the victims live in thatched mud houses, which are easily destroyed by the elephants, resulting in fatalities and property loss.
“The forest department has failed to protect us. We are poor people, living in fear of the elephants every day,” said one angry resident.
Thus far, the Bonai forest division has distributed approximately Rs 1.5 crore in compensation for the loss of lives and property. However, many argue that monetary compensation is insufficient to address the scale of the problem.
Local Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Lalit Patra told reporters that the forest department is "taking all precautionary measures" to safeguard human lives and property, but villagers remain unconvinced. As the situation worsens, calls for more effective action to prevent further tragedies continue to grow louder.
Since April, eight people from villages within the division have been killed in elephant attacks, according to reports from Sundergarh district. In addition to these tragic deaths, the marauding pachyderms have caused significant damage to standing crops and horticultural resources, deepening the crisis for the local population.
The Bonai forest division recorded 12 human fatalities in the 2023–24 fiscal year alone. Despite a series of preventive measures—including drone surveillance and round-the-clock human monitoring of elephant movements—the efforts have been insufficient in stopping the animals from straying into human settlements and causing widespread destruction.
According to official sources, an estimated 80–90 elephants inhabit the forests of Bonai. Of this population, two elephants, known for their aggressive behavior, are responsible for a large proportion of the recent casualties in the Koida and Bonai forest ranges.
The most recent incident occurred early Friday morning when a tusker killed an elderly villager. This attack followed an incident just a day prior, when two forest department employees were injured while tracking the movements of elephants in the area.
As the death toll rises, so does public anger. Villagers have expressed growing frustration with the forest department, accusing officials of failing to protect them from these deadly encounters. Many of the victims live in thatched mud houses, which are easily destroyed by the elephants, resulting in fatalities and property loss.
“The forest department has failed to protect us. We are poor people, living in fear of the elephants every day,” said one angry resident.
Thus far, the Bonai forest division has distributed approximately Rs 1.5 crore in compensation for the loss of lives and property. However, many argue that monetary compensation is insufficient to address the scale of the problem.
Local Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Lalit Patra told reporters that the forest department is "taking all precautionary measures" to safeguard human lives and property, but villagers remain unconvinced. As the situation worsens, calls for more effective action to prevent further tragedies continue to grow louder.