Jumbo raids tea plantation

Alipurduar: An elephant has wreaked havoc in ‘Central Dooars Tea Plantation,’ near the Buxa Tiger Project, consuming rations stored for plantation workers and causing extensive damage to garden quarters.

On Sunday, the elephant broke into the garden’s ration godown, consuming and spoiling rice and flour. After spending about two hours around the ration shop, it entered the bungalow of the garden’s assistant manager, Gopal Thapa. The garden workers managed to scare the elephant away by bursting crackers, and it eventually disappeared into the Buxa Tiger Reserve under the cover of night.

The garden authorities reported that the elephant consumed around 200 kg of rice and flour, but wasted several times more. The tusker entered the garden after 2 a.m., going unnoticed until it reached the manager’s bungalow.

Manager Shantanu Basu expressed his concerns: “Most of the rice and flour in the ration godown has been wasted. This stock was intended for the rations of tea plantation workers. Wild elephants have been entering the garden almost every night for the past two months, causing significant damage.”

The forest department has assured that there will be strict vigilance at night.