Parlakhemundi,(Tarini Prasad Panda): In a fresh wave of man-animal conflict casting a shadow over agrarian life, four wild elephant herds have descended upon the fertile stretches of Kashinagar tehsil in Gajapati district, leaving behind a trail of devastation and deepening anxiety among villagers.
The roaming herds have reportedly entered the villages of Purrutiguda, Bhana and Gairi under Khandba panchayat, mercilessly trampling and consuming standing crops of vegetables, maize and sugarcane. Fields that once promised a season of prosperity now lie flattened, their green bounty reduced to ruin overnight.Residents of the affected areas are gripped by fear and sleepless nights as the elephants continue to wander through farmlands and village peripheries. Though the herds were earlier confined to the Kashinagar forest belt, their recent movement into cultivated lands over the past few days has intensified the crisis.Tomato gardens, maize fields, sugarcane patches and other seasonal vegetable crops have suffered extensive damage, dealing a severe blow to the livelihood of small and marginal farmers who depend entirely on these harvests. As distress mounts, villagers have urged the district administration and forest authorities to take immediate measures to drive the elephants back to their natural habitat, ensure protection of life and property, and provide adequate compensation to the affected farmers.
