Chhath Puja: Forest workers ensure safe festivities through intensified vigil

Alipurduar: Forest workers maintained heightened vigilance over 10 Chhath Puja ghats across Chilapata, Jaldapara, Madarihat and Birpara, ensuring the festivities concluded without incident. With the Madarihat by-election approaching on November 13, the Jaldapara Forest Division has reinforced its measures due to increased wild elephant activity in the region.

As of Thursday, around 90 elephants have been sighted across the Madarihat area, spanning Jaldapara National Park to Lankapara, with herds of 10-15 elephants moving unpredictably. This raises concerns about human encounters, particularly around polling booths. Forest officials increased personnel and patrol vehicles at Chhath Puja sites in close coordination with local police, allowing the event to conclude smoothly on Friday.

As election preparations ramp up, forest personnel face additional challenges in securing the area around 223 polling booths in Madarihat, considered vulnerable to elephant interference. Alipurduar District Magistrate R Vimala and Jaldapara National Park’s DFO Parveen Kaswan met to discuss measures for mitigating these risks.

DFO Parveen Kaswan stated: “We are aware of the potential threat posed by wild elephants, especially as herds have been entering Madarihat town. All 223 booths within the Madarihat Constituency are considered sensitive. In key areas such as North Chekamari, Khairbari, Madarihat, Totopara and certain tea estate settlements, our teams will maintain a continuous watch to prevent any harm to residents.”

The Forest Department has mobilized nine teams across the Madarihat and North Jaldapara ranges, with five stationed in Madarihat, two in North Jaldapara, and two specialized elephant squads. Continuous patrolling has been in effect from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. for the past month. Regular SMS alerts have also been issued to inform residents of elephant movements.

Assistant Wildlife Warden Navjeet De added, “Our heightened vigilance during Chhat Puja ensured no incidents. With more than 90 elephants currently near Madarihat, our personnel are on day-and-night alert, and residents have been advised to remain cautious, especially during nighttime when elephants often approach inhabited areas.”