Balangir: A herd of wild elephants destroyed 74 bags of paddy at Badsaimara Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) in Muribahal block, Balangir district, on Friday night, leaving local farmers in distress.
Thirteen elephants breached the facility’s boundary wall in search of food, tore the stored paddy bags, ate and scattered the grain across the premises. Six farmers reported significant losses from the raid. “Revenue officials have assessed the damage and affected farmers will receive compensation as per forest department guidelines,” said Muribahal tehsildar Jagdish Kartami.
According to the revenue department, the facility housed over 5,000 paddy bags belonging to 45 farmers. The elephants damaged only the front row. Forest officials revealed that the herd has been active in the area for several weeks. “With harvesting complete and field fodder depleted, the elephants are now targeting stored grain,” a forest officer said.
The forest department has heightened surveillance and issued warnings to nearby villages. “Round-the-clock patrols are monitoring elephant movements,” the officer added. “Other PACS facilities could be at risk, and we urge staff to remain vigilant and report any elephant activity immediately,” he added.