Bilaspur: Elephants enter farmlands in search of easy food; crop damage reported, forest department issues caution

RAIPUR: A herd of elephants strayed into villages under the Katghora forest division of Bilaspur circle, causing extensive damage to standing paddy crops. The elephants were spotted in Lalpur, Parla, Naroi Dhori and Ravanbhatha, creating panic among villagers.Dismissing reports of elephants falling ill, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Kumar Nishant clarified that the animals were healthy but entered farmlands in search of easy food. “An elephant requires 150–200 kg of food every day. In forests, they have to work hard to meet this need. But agriculture fields provide abundant food with less effort, which is why they often venture into villages during paddy season,” Nishant explained.The DFO said the herd consists of 52 elephants that disperse across four to five villages while feeding and later regroup. Villages located in the Atmanagar and Kendai ranges are particularly affected.According to a video shot by the forest team and shared by the department on Sunday morning, the herd was seen moving towards Ravanbhatha through Budupani village and Kodwari road. The footage showed elephants eating paddy crops near Parla school.Forest teams, with support from villagers, are keeping a close vigil on the animals. Loudspeaker announcements have been made, urging farmers to stay away from their fields until the elephants are driven back to the forests.“This is a common phenomenon in Chhattisgarh and across the country during the paddy season. Like all animals, elephants look for easy food, which they find in farmlands. Villagers have been advised to remain cautious. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported so far,” Nishant added."Our women staff are at the forefront of human-elephant conflict (HEC) mitigation, playing a crucial role in monitoring elephant movement, spreading awareness among villagers, and ensuring community safety during conflict situations," the DFO said.