Elephant menace continues in Shuklaphanta

Kathmandu: Locals of Shuklaphanta Municipality-5, Garjmuni, have failed to chase away a herd of elephants entering the paddy fields before night despite placing several measures.

Over a dozen elephants coming from the Shuklaphanta National Park have been continuously damaging the about-to-harvest wheat crops of local farmers for the past three days. Jit Bahadur Saud, the ward member of Shuklaphanta-5, said, 'In the past, elephants used to run away by showing fire, beating tins and making noise.'

He said that an attempt was made to get away from the elephant by blowing the siren, and crackers burst, but the elephant did not run away. 'After entering the fields to feed themselves and eating the wheat crop, they finally went to the national park,' he said, complaining that every year the elephants have been damaging their harvesting paddy and wheat crops.

The elephant herd has damaged the wheat crop cultivated in a minimum of two kattha to 10 kattha land. According to residents, a herd of 15 elephants, including three cubs, has been eating wheat crops as well as crushing them with their feet. Malti Pal said that they have to stay awake all night to drive away elephants.

'We work till late at night to drive away elephants,' he said, adding, 'Elephants do not run away without eating, there is a fear of destroying the house, that is why we have to stay awake.'

Locals have complained that although elephants have been causing damage every year, they have not yet received compensation amount. In the last three years, four people have so far lost their lives in elephant attacks in the municipality.

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