Hazaribag: Paddy sowing has been severely disrupted in Tatijharia block as a 24-member elephant herd and a lone tusker have damaged houses and crops, forcing farmers to stay away from fields during the peak agricultural season.The herd, moving through the Sijhua-Khaira and Godhia-Mahuatand belts, created havoc in Mahuatand and Khaira on Thursday night. In Mahuatand, elephants damaged the mud house of Parvati Devi, wife of Mahilal Manjhi, leaving the family homeless. Devi sought immediate housing assistance and compensation.In Khaira, the herd damaged Ganpat Mahto’s asbestos-roofed house and caused panic among commuters on the main road through Khaira forest. Villagers avoided the route on Friday. The elephants returned that night and damaged more crops and houses, residents said.The menace has affected Khaira, Karma, Simradhab, Bedmakka, Narayanpur, Puto, Hardia, Panimako, Jharpo, Bharajo, Godhia, Uchabeda, Balia, Lartango, Gadisadam and Kabilasi.Along the Daru-Tatijharia border, the lone tusker entered Nando Mahto’s fields in Mahuatand, destroying maize and other crops and damaging a boundary wall. It also damaged crops and walls belonging to Chander Mahto, Rajendra Mahto, Dharam Mahto, Gandaori Mahto and Sudhir Kumar. Villagers said it had earlier caused damage in Chirwan, Mahalonia and Uchabeda.A forest team led by Tatijharia range officer Vidya Bhushan is monitoring the herd and using crackers, torches and drums to drive it towards the forest.Farmers Vikas Kumar and Shambhu Kumar said continued elephant movement could derail paddy sowing. Khaira mukhiya Kumari Madhuri said the area was an important elephant corridor. Villagers demanded compensation, relocation of the animals deeper into forests and early commissioning of the under-construction transit and treatment centre at Jharpo.
