Gaurella Pendra Marwahi (Chhattisgarh): Villagers in Chhattisgarh's Gaurella Pendra Marwahi district are suffering because of the inaction of the forest department against the wild elephants that are giving sleepless nights to the people of the area.
The elephants have destroyed the crops and the villagers are forced to take shelter in other villages to keep the women and children of their families safe from the wild beasts. The villagers have alleged that the forest department staff was inactive. The villagers say that they are using firecrackers to drive the elephants out.
The wild elephant terror continues in the border villages of Pendra and Pasan forest range, border areas of Marwahi forest division and Katghora forest division. A group of 22 elephants have been camping in the Khamaria village of Pasan for the last one week. The elephants stay in one place during the day but reach the internal rural areas in the dark. They even devour grains kept in people's homes.
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The villagers are compelled to stay awake at night. Given the failure of the forest department, the villagers have taken it upon themselves to drive out the elephants. Ranger Dharmendra Chauhan, in-charge of Pasan forest range of Korba district, said: "There has been no incident of driving away elephants with firecrackers and torches. Elephants are roaming in the forest adjoining Khamaria village. The staff and forest management committee and villagers are cooperating with each other. Efforts are being made that the elephants do not come towards the village. We are making people aware to not harm the elephants in any manner".
