Bhubaneswar: Fourteen elephants and 59 other wild animals have died at forest ranges in Keonjhar district since 2024-25, while 59 people have lost their lives due to elephant and wild animal attacks, informed Minister of Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia in the Odisha Assembly.
The Minister’s response came in the Assembly in reply to a query raised by MLA Badri Narayan Patra, who sought to know the government’s plan to protect people living near forests from such attacks.
Besides, Patra wanted to know the number of elephants and other wild animals that have died in the district since 2024-25, and the number of people who have lost their lives due to elephant and wild animal attacks apart from number of houses damaged and crops destroyed.
According to the data released by the Minister, in the said period, 116 houses have been damaged and 2161.83 acres of crops have been destroyed due to wild animal attacks. Besides, the government has disbursed Rs. 10,71,67,981 as compensation to the affected families.
