wild elephants return to Odisha

Srikakulam: Seven wild elephants, along with a calf, returned to Odisha on late Friday night.

It may be recalled that seven elephants entered Mandasa agency area in Srikakulam district from adjacent forest area of Odisha on May 5, 2017.

Later, one of them gave birth to a calf and total eight were moving around the agency and plain area mandals across the district for more than a year.

The elephants entered Amudalavalasa, Sarubujjili and LN Peta plain area mandals on March 26 this year.

Worrying over their movement, chief conservator of forest (CCF) Rahul Pandey discussed the issue with the higher officials and brought two trained elephants Jayanti and Vinayak from Kuppam forest of Chittoor district.

Wild elephants were moved into the forest area of Meliaputti mandal in the district three days ago with the help of trained elephants under the supervision of district forest officer (DFO) territorial and wild life in-charge Chalumuri Shanthi Swaroop.

Next day, trained elephants handed over to Kuppam forest officials. On Friday late night, elephants crossed Mahendratanaya river from the agency areas of Meliaputti mandal and reached Gandahathi forest area of Odisha state.

The wild tuskers killed two persons at Hirapuram and Peddamadi villages in Meliaputti mandal.

The deceased were identified as Neelamma and Rama Rao and compensation also paid to the kin of the deceased. Rs 36 lakh compensation was paid to farmers for crop damage by the tuskers in one year.