RAIPUR: Fear has gripped villages around the Gullidand beat in Chhattisgarh’s Marwahi forest area after an elephant entered the region and remained in the vicinity for the past two days, forcing residents to stay away from the forest and bringing tendu leaf plucking and mahua collection to a halt.Forest officials said the elephant strayed into the Marwahi forest division through the Pasan forest range of neighbouring Korba district. It is currently moving in compartment number 2025 of the Gullidand block and has been frequently shifting through nearby forest patches.With villagers heavily dependent on forest movement at this time of year for collection of tendu leaves and mahua, the elephant’s presence has severely disrupted routine activity.
Residents of nearby villages have avoided entering the forest for the past two days amid fears of an attack.The forest department has sounded an alert across the area and is making repeated public announcements through loudspeakers in villages, warning people not to venture into the forest. Teams of forest personnel, from beat guards to senior officers, have been deployed to monitor the elephant’s movement and keep villagers informed.
Officials said no human casualty or crop loss has been reported so far. However, an incident of the elephant damaging a bicycle has come to light.Marwahi range officer Mukesh Sahu said villagers have been advised to maintain a safe distance from the animal and avoid any negligence. He said special caution is being exercised for mahua collectors, as their movement inside the forest is usually high during this season.
