MillenniumPost
Bengal

Thirsty tuskers invading nearby villages: Officials

Elephant attacks have increased in villages situated near the forests in Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore due to scarcity of water.

 According to the officials of the state forest department, the temperature in these districts is around 45 degree Celsius. As a result, water bodies in the forests have dried up and animals like elephants and bisons have started entering the adjacent villages in search of water. It is often heard, that elephants ran amok in villages in search of food and damage crops in the process. But this is the first time when tuskers have repeatedly attacked the villages to get some water.  “The tuskers usually damage crops when they come in search of food. But now they are straight damaging the huts,” said Jagat Murmu, a resident of Nagrakata in Malbazar adding that they are not staying in their houses for the night.  Following the advice of the state forest department officials, the villagers have now started keeping water in a huge container outside their house. But it has failed to solve the problem as the water in the containers is falling short for the tuskers.   It may be mentioned that a 58-year-old man Bankim Mahato was killed after being trampled by an elephant in his village at Salboni in West Midnapore on Friday night. Elephants ran amok in the villages at Malbazar on Thursday in search of water as water bodies in the adjacent forest has dried up due to the extreme heat.  The forest department officials have asked the villagers to be alert and to inform them immediately when the tuskers enter the village. The villagers have requested for constant patrolling by forest department officials in such areas.

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