Balasore: People of Nilagiri in Balasore district are surviving with immense fear as a herd of wild elephants has been frequently straying into human habitations damaging massive crops and property.
Moreover, this constant fear has forced the villagers of Kuldiha and Mangad under Baunsabania panchayat to spend the whole night on treetop houses to guard their farmlands.
"The elephants have damaged our standing crops. The forest officials come and drive away the animals with the help of crackers and lights. But as soon as the officials leave, the elephants enter again and destroy the crops. When we try to stop them, they attack us,” a local alleged.
"I take food with me and spend the whole night on the top of the tree to guard my crop lands. Although, this happens every year, this time the situation is getting worse," another villager alleged.
As per reports, the villagers are trying their best by using all possible measures to prevent their crop lands from being damaged. They have reportedly used torches, burning tyres, crackers but in vain. Even the efforts of the forest department have failed to yield any result, locals said.