VIZIANAGARAM: With repeated incidents of jumbo menace taking place in parts of Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts, the forest officials are chalking out strategies to put an end to the man-animal conflict and damage to standing crops in these districts.
Wild elephants have been creating havoc in parts of Komarada, Garugubilli and Jiyyamavalasa mandals in Vizianagaram district for over three years as they destroy crops and motor pump sets besides scaring the farmers in the region.
Not only the crops, the lives of farmers are also in danger as the jumbos have killed six farmers and one elephant tracker in Vizianagaram district in the past few years.
The tuskers killed over 10 people in parts of Srikakulam in the past one decade.
A herd of four elephants has been moving around in Srikakulam district and five in Vizianagaram district. The lone male elephant, Hari, has been wreaking havoc by killing farmers and damaging the crops.
A senior forest officer said they are planning to isolate the lone male elephant and shift it to Indira Gandhi Zoological Park in Vizag city.
"We are also chalking out plans to set up a rescue centre at an appropriate place to prevent the herd from moving into the villages. The rescue centres require huge land with continuous water supply and greenery. Two places have been identified - Chandadingi and Juntukonda - both in Vizianagaram district," he added.
