Korba: At a time when authorities aware people about their voting rights and to exercise their franchise amid the ongoing Lok Sabha election, it is a different challenge for the district administration in Chhattisgarh’s Korba where the awareness revolved around elephants. There are a total of 60 polling stations in Korba district, which fall in elephant-affected areas. By going to such areas, the forest department employees are appealing to the people to vote early in the 3rd phase of voting scheduled on May 7.
Forest Dept Officials on Toes: The forest department employees in Korba are going door to door to caution people about the danger posed by elephants, which generally tend to stray into the human population during evening time. The officials have exhorted the voters to exercise their franchise early and return home, so that a situation of elephant-human conflict does not arise.
The forest department is also taking the help of thermal drones and Sajag app to track the movement of elephants and accordingly alert the people.
Katghora and Korba forest divisions of the district are elephant-affected areas of the district. The district administration is taking the help of forest workers to improve the voting percentage. The women volunteers are also organizing Chaupal in the village to raise awareness among the women folk in the village in Chhattisgarhi dialect about the danger posed by elephants.
An official said that most of the elephant herds change their location as the evening approaches. The State Election Commission has extended the time limit of voting by two hours in view of the scorching sun with voting centers to remain open till 6 pm in the evening. Due to the risk of elephants, people are being asked by the authorities to vote in the first shift in the afternoon instead of evening.
The forest department is tracking the elephant herds in the dark night with thermal drone cameras to alert the villagers nearby through announcements.
According to an official, there are a total of 49 tuskers on the loose in Kampanvapara of Kendai Range for the last one and a half months. Besides, 39 elephants are roaming in Kudumra and Labed of Korba Forest Division. The Forest Department has intensified the campaign to keep people away from the elephant herd. More than 60 polling stations come under the purview of the affected areas. Pali-Tanakhar and Rampur assembly constituencies are included in the most elephant affected areas. The movement of elephants in both the forest divisions has increased the concern on safe voting.
Pertinently, a few days ago, a herd of elephants that reached Kudmura range of Korba forest division damaged 13 acres of crops of 10 farmers in the area.
- Read more: Chhattisgarh: 3 Of A Family Injured in Elephant Attack in Surguja
- Wild Tusker Kills Two Farmers in Surprise Attacks in Telangana
