Torchlights, sirens distributed to chase away elephants

By Bishnu Prasad Pokharel,Damak, Apr. 27: The office of Ward No. 3 of Jhapa's Kamal Rural Municipality has distributed sirens and torchlights to locality development organisations to help chase wild elephants away.

Agni Prasad Koirala, chairman of the ward, informed that the ward office had given sirens and torches to nine locality development organisations in its area. 

Sirens, in particular, will help inform the locals of an elephant attack and scare away terrorising tuskers with the loud noise. 

Currently, residents of the ward, especially of Sanukerkha, Bohora Tole and Kerkha Market, stay awake all night to drive elephants who enter the villages from the forest. Elephants have destroyed over a dozen houses this fiscal year alone.

Elephants reaching Damak

Elephants have begun to be seen in Damak as well. A herd of elephants was seen in the Hamsedumse Community Forest and the surrounding areas, which lie in wards 2 and 3 of the Damak Municipality.

"The beasts come out of the forest in search of food but end up great damage," said Chairman of Ward No. 3 Navin Baral.