Bokaro: A herd of more than 20 elephants damaged 18 houses at Vankhetwa village in Upperghat under Nawadih block of the district on Friday.The elephants also ate 100 quintals of grains and other things such as rice, corn, mahua, wheat, maduva, potatoes, etc kept in the houses of the villagers. They also destroyed crops and vegetables in the farmland. The forest department has been informed by the villagers. DFO, Rajnish Kumar said necessary steps are being taken.The elephants also destroyed the tribal shrine Budhathan and a two-wheeler. Mahadev Murmu, a villager, said on Thursday at around 1.30 am the herd of elephants entered Vankhetwa village. Mukhiya of the panchayat, Basanti Devi, said that they have sought compensation from the forest department for the victims whose houses were damaged.We also published the following articles recentlyElephant tramples forest driver to death in GadchiroliA forest department driver was killed by a wild elephant while his superiors watched in horror in Palasgaon jungle, Maharashtra. The driver, Sudhakar Atram, was part of a team ensuring the safety of a herd of elephants that had migrated into the area. The elephant charged towards the team, lifted Atram and threw him, causing fatal injuries. The incident highlights the ongoing human-elephant conflict in Gadchiroli district, prompting collaboration between forest officials and an NGO from West Bengal to address the issue.New farmhouses around Bandipur divide villagersThe interest among the wealthy in Mysuru and Bengaluru to buy land near the Bandipur Tiger Reserve has caused division among villagers. Some villagers want a ban on land purchases and farmhouse development due to increased human-animal conflict, while others oppose the ban for economic reasons. Activists are calling on the government to buy land from farmers to protect the ecology. Residents have raised concerns about blocking animal corridors and the resulting conflicts. Regional officials have not received any letters requesting land purchase by the government.Over a dozen villages to be developed for tribal tourismMadhya Pradeshs tourism board is developing homestays and tourism-related activities in more than a dozen villages in the Malwa-Nimar region. This is part of a larger project to develop 50 villages across the state in tribal-dominated areas. The aim is to create income-generating opportunities for tribal communities through sustainable tourism and skill development. The project will be executed in phases, with each village having a minimum of six to a maximum of 13 homestays in the first phase. The tourism board has partnered with various organizations and experts to train and develop tourism activities in these villages.

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