Tusker Breaches Highway Barricade, Triggers Panic Among Commuters In Odisha
Elephant movement on NH-55 raises fresh concerns over road safety; recent incidents highlight growing human-elephant conflict: Reports
BHUBANESWAR: A tusker broke through a roadside barricade and crossed National Highway-55 near Oranda under the Khuntuni forest range in Odisha’s Cuttack Forest division, triggering panic among motorists and passengers travelling along the busy highway.
The incident occurred late on Monday night when the elephant suddenly emerged onto the highway, smashed through the barricade installed along the roadside and made its way to the other side. Motorists were left alarmed by the sudden appearance of the massive animal, highlighting the risks posed by elephant movement across busy traffic corridors.
The incident once again brought into focus the safety concerns arising from frequent elephant movement across highways in Odisha, where encounters between humans and wild elephants have increasingly become a matter of concern. Such unexpected crossings, according to local residents, pose a threat not only to motorists but also to the animals themselves.
The latest incident comes against the backdrop of a series of human-elephant conflict cases in the state.
On October 21, a man was trampled to death by an elephant while sleeping inside his house in Dahimal village under Deogaon police limits in Bolangir district.
Earlier, on October 10, an elephant damaged the boundary wall and hand pump of a government primary school at Dadhiapadar village under Muribahal block in the same district. The school, situated inside a forest and about 2 km from the village, has 35 students.
The incident prompted villagers to demand the relocation of the school closer to their homes, citing the danger posed to children who have to attend classes in an area frequented by elephants.
“The recurring incidents have raised questions about the effectiveness of measures taken by the forest department to manage elephant movement and prevent human-wildlife encounters. Efforts to drive elephants back into forest areas often fail to provide a lasting solution, as the animals continue to venture into human habitations and cross major roads,” says Kambu Dhar Kheti, a wildlife activist.
With elephant corridors intersecting human settlements, roads and public infrastructure, the challenge for forest authorities lies not merely in driving the animals back into forests but in ensuring safer movement corridors and preventing potentially fatal encounters, adds Kheti.
