JHAPA: The District Administration Office, Jhapa, has urged farmers in Bahundangi, an area frequently affected by wild elephant incursions, to harvest and bring in their ripe paddy crops without delay.
The administration has made the appeal as it prepares to deploy additional security personnel to prevent elephants from entering agricultural areas during the harvest season.
Following an elephant attack that injured a person in Buddha Shanti on Friday morning, a team led by Chief District Officer Shravan Kumar Pokharel, accompanied by chiefs of the Nepali Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force, visited Bahundangi, a major entry point for wild elephants from India.
At the time of the visit, farmers in Bahundangi of Mechinagar Municipality-4 were busy harvesting and transporting their ripe paddy crops. They were carrying out the work in coordination with local representatives, community organisations, Division Forest Office officials and security personnel.
During the inspection, Chief District Officer Pokharel said protecting farmers’ crops was the administration’s immediate priority.
“We will make the necessary security arrangements to protect the crops that farmers have cultivated through their hard work. Additional security personnel will be deployed to control elephant incursions during the harvesting period,” he said, urging farmers not to delay bringing their ripe crops home.
Local farmers had requested the administration to control elephant movements for at least five days to allow them to safely harvest and store their paddy crops.
Responding to their concerns, Pokharel directed the heads of security agencies to mobilise additional personnel from across the district and coordinate with local communities to prevent elephants from entering agricultural areas.
Following the field inspection, an interaction was organised among farmers, representatives of local organisations and security officials at the initiative of Arjun Karki, chairperson of Mechinagar Municipality Ward No. 4.
During the programme, Pokharel handed over flashlights and handheld microphones to the security personnel deployed for elephant control. The equipment was arranged through the initiative of Ward Chairperson Karki.
Currently, a team comprising 10 personnel from the Armed Police Force, Nepal Police, Division Forest Office staff and local youths has been deployed in the area.
Jhapa District Police Office Chief and Superintendent of Police Vasundhara Khadka and Armed Police Force Nepal No. 2 Battalion Chief and Superintendent of Armed Police Sachin Karmacharya said additional personnel would be mobilised immediately as directed by the Chief District Officer.
The administration has stated that it will continue coordinating with security agencies and local communities to manage elephant movements and ensure that farmers can harvest their crops safely.
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