PANAJI
'Omkar' the wild elephant who strayed from its herd will continue to roam the Goa-Maharashtra border areas of Pernem up until Dussehra with the Forest Department deferring its capture-and-rehabilitate plan until then.
The tusker has over the last 10 days kept villagers, particularly farmers in Torxem and adjoining areas of Pernem, on their toes is unlikely to find until October 2 the company of more elephants to help in finding his herd.
According to Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane the Goa government has sought help from Karnataka which has the expertise needed to capture and rehabilitate the tusker.
The Karnataka forest minister has already issued directions to his department but more elephants necessary to execute this plan are not available until the Dussehra festival.
"The operation requires six to seven trained elephants, which are currently engaged in the Dussehra festival in Karnataka," Rane said, adding that he has been in discussion with the Karnataka minister to work on it as soon as the festival concludes.
In Pernem, meanwhile, people are continuing to see the elephant moving around, sometimes entering cultivated areas and damaging crops.
Agriculture Director Sandeep Fol Desai told the Goan that Pernem-based officials of his department are on the ground assessing the damage.
"I have also instructed all our officials to provide maximum support to the Forest team including providing them with tractors and logistical support to create pathways for the elephant to go back to its habitat," Fol Desai said.
No proposal to shift Omkar to Vantara: Rane
PANAJI: Rane said the Goa government has received no proposal as of now to shift elephants straying into habitations to Vantara, the Reliance-run zoo. He was reacting to a query on the recent disclosure by the Maharashtra Forest Minister that shifting he elephants from the Tillari region to Vantara was under consideration.
“If a proposal comes, we can think about it,” he added.
