Operation Gaja fails, elephants continue to terrorise villagers
Chittoor, Feb 2 (INN): The attempts of the Forest Department officials to push the 'invaders' in the form of a herd of elephants back into the forest area ended in failure on Wednesday, leaving the officials to continue to ask people to remain under 'curfew'. The forest officials had earlier in the day launched `Operation Gaja', utilizing the services of two well trained pachyderms, Jayanthi and Ganesh, to push back the invading herd in the forests bordering the Pedaparthykunta, Rallapalli and Soudaginepalle areas of Chittoor district.
However, the invading herd ignored the lure of their fellow pachyderms and continued to create terror among the people of the region. The forest officials were then left with no alternative than to continue with their unofficial curfew in the villages coming under Gudipalli Mandal and asked people to remain indoors.
According to forest officials, a herd of 20 to 40 elephants trampled across the sugarcane and paddy fields on wee hours of Tuesday and gave sleepless nights to villagers. Chittoor Divisional Forest Officer G V Subba Reddy said the officials are contacting their higher officials in Hyderabad seeking their help in solving the issue. He said the forest officials are tracking the movement of tuskers and guide them towards the Karnataka forests.
News Posted: 2 February, 2011
|
