Sindhuli, March 7: After the attack of wild elephants started causing huge damage to various settlements in Sindhuli, the Division Forest Office, Sindhuli, has started looking for ways to minimize the damage caused by elephants.
About two weeks ago, after an elephant attack in Sindhuli killed one person and damaged houses, the Divisional Forest Office, Sindhuli started taking steps to minimize it. Two weeks ago, 40-year-old Dandapani Poudel, a local, was killed by an elephant in Kamalamai Municipality-13, Ranibas, of Sindhuli.
Elephant menace continues in Jhapa
Paudel, who was asleep at his home, was seriously injured in the elephant attack. He was dragged by the elephant for about 50 meters. The injured Paudel died on the way while being brought to the district hospital for treatment, according to the locals. Krishna Raj Neupane, head of the Division Forest Office, said that when the elephants started causing damage to people's property, the Division Forest Office brought together experienced experts who worked in Bardia National Park to control elephants.
Elephants have been damaging houses along with crops in the Dudhauli Municipality area along with various wards of Kamalamai Municipality of Sindhuli. Neupane, the head of the Division Forest Office, Sindhuli, said that in order to minimize the damage caused by the elephants, the locals demanded that the elephants be controlled, but since that is not possible, there is a need to insure crops and adopt other alternative measures.
Elephants have damaged more than two dozen houses in Sindhuli in the last two months. In Sindhuli, more than 30 houses have been damaged by elephants this year, Kamalamai Municipality Mayor Upendra Kumar Pokharel said.
According to the Division Forest Office, as the conflict between elephants and humans increased, arrangements have been made to patrol various wards of Ranibas area and Dudhauli of Kamalamai Municipality by Nepal Army and Armed Police Force personnel along with the staff of the Division Forest Office. The locals are in a state of panic after the elephants started creating a nuisance in Sindhuli recently. Kamalamai Municipality, Sindhuli has stated that especially the locals of Kamalamai Municipality-13 and 14 have to stay in fear of elephants every day. Due to the recent encounters between humans and the elephants in Sindhuli district, the office said that in order to reduce it, sirens have been set up and daily patrols are conducted.