Trench plan to stop jumbos

Siliguri, June 18: The Naxalbari panchayat samiti has decided to dig trenches to prevent the intrusion of elephants into human habitats that fall in the Mechi-Sankosh elephant corridor. Elephants enter villages like Baromaniramjote, Kilaram, Jabra, Oldangi, Rakamjote and Trihanamore in Naxalbari block frequently and attack humans and destroy properties. The decision to dig the trenches along the edge of villages was taken at a meeting of the representatives of the panchayat samiti last week. Sunil Ghosh, the ban karmadhyaksha of the panchayat samiti, said today that the project would be taken up under the Centre’s 100-day work scheme. “We will employ local people and use funds for the 100-days-work scheme to dig trenches on different sides of these villages. The trenches would deter elephants from foraying into the human habitats and minimise the destruction of property and attack on humans every year,” he said. “Each of these trenches will be 10ft X 10ft and 10ft deep. They will be dug along a distance of 4km on the edge of villages located close to forests like Kalabari, Dalka and Rakamjote,” he added. Sailesh Anand, the divisional forest officer of Kurseong, said the trenches would stop the elephant depredations in the villages to a large extent. “The pits will definitely help villagers keep the elephants at bay. As elephants move with calves, they are very much protective about the young ones and do not dare to walk across such trenches. Once the animals come across such trenches, they stop and return,” said Anand. Another forest officer said a herd of around 150-odd elephants, comprising adults and calves, was roaming in the forests of Naxalbari block now. The villagers generally burst crackers to scare the elephants away, but the high-decibel explosives haven’t been made available by the foresters during the ongoing corn harvest. So, the animals have destroyed corn in the villages, 30km from Siliguri.