Authorities in Bhubaneswar were forced to suspend all visitor activities at the popular Sikharchandi tourist spot on Saturday after two wild elephants strayed into the area from the nearby Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary. The move aims to prevent any potential conflict between humans and the large mammals.
Indefinite Ban on Picnics and Gatherings
The Forest Department has imposed an indefinite ban on picnics and public gatherings in the Sikharchandi area. Binod Acharya, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Chandaka, confirmed the restrictions and stated that police have been urged to enforce them strictly. "We have banned picnics and urged police to enforce the restrictions for an indefinite period, apprehending conflict between elephants and humans," Acharya said. He added that he has personally requested the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) to regulate public movement in the zone to avoid any untoward incident.
Elephants in Search of Food
Wildlife officials reported that the two tuskers have been roaming the Sikharchandi area for the past two days. The hillock, with its many farmhouses, gardens, and trees such as banyan and jackfruit, appears to be an attractive source of food, drawing the animals out of their sanctuary habitat. Officials are monitoring the situation closely but have ruled out using force to drive the elephants back. "We are keeping a watch on the elephants. No forceful means can be used to make them return to the sanctuary," DFO Acharya emphasized.
A Recurring Problem with a History of Incidents
This is not an isolated event. Sikharchandi hillock, due to its proximity to Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary, frequently faces elephant intrusions. Elephants often wander into the area, roam around, and return to the forest on their own. However, since evenings see a high concentration of people at Sikharchandi, their presence raises serious safety concerns. Fortunately, no clashes have been reported in the current situation.
The region has witnessed similar troubling incidents in the recent past:
- In June this year, a herd of elephants strayed into human habitation areas on two separate occasions.
- Last year, a tusker created havoc in Salia Sahi, a slum within the city.
- On March 24, the forest department had to manage a situation where an elephant herd remained on the hillock until late evening.
- On November 2 last year, officials faced resistance from residents of Arjunpur in Khurda district when trying to release a male elephant. The animal was later tranquillised near Lingaraj Temple after roaming in several human-inhabited areas and brought back to the Chandaka Elephant Rescue Centre.
The recurring nature of these incidents highlights the ongoing challenge of managing human-wildlife interface in areas bordering natural elephant habitats.
