Kaptai Correspondent: Vidyut Bhawan rest house located on top of hill in highly secure area in Kaptai project. The building has glass doors and windows. If you sit inside it, the entire Kaptai project area, especially the Kaptai dam, can be clearly seen. The high-ranking officials of the government and the officials of the Ministry of Power stay in this building when they go to government work. A group of wild elephants attacked there on Tuesday morning. When they broke the glass doors and windows of the building and entered there, panic spread among the guests.
Sources of the Karnaphuli Water Power Plant said that groups of wild elephants often come to the area of the power plant. Earlier, they were seen standing for a long time by coming to the side of Vidyut Bhawan. But this time the herd of elephants attacked the power building and broke the doors and windows. At that time, the guests and employees present in the power building were scared. Kaptai fire brigade members quickly came to Vidyut Bhawan after receiving the news.
Karnaphuli Hydro Power Plant Manager Engineer ATM Abduzzahe said, I have received reports that the doors and windows of the power plant have been destroyed by wild elephants. Before this, wild elephants came to Vidyut Bhavan area several times. Although there was no damage, this time they vandalized the doors and windows of the building.
ASM Mohiuddin, Kaptai range officer of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Forest Department, said that on Monday evening, we received information that 10-12 wild elephants came to the box house of the Kaptai project in a group. At once, along with the fire brigade and policemen, we drove away the elephants. But in the morning, a group of wild elephants came and attacked Vidyut Bhavan. In their attack, the doors and windows of the power house were shattered.
In this regard, he also said that actually there is no opportunity to take action against wild elephants. Many people do not know how to drive away elephants if they come to the area. The forest department is in the process of forming two volunteer teams with locals. These 2 teams will be trained by the forest department on how to repel wild elephants and prevent wild elephants from entering the area easily. Solar fencing was installed long ago to prevent wild elephants from entering the area. The forest department is also working on modernizing and making the solar fencing more effective.
This official of the Kaptai range also said that wild elephants are in their place. Rather, we are occupying the place of wild elephants and establishing offices—courts, factories, residential buildings, restrooms—and are living comfortably. Elephants in the forest are not getting enough food as the forest is shrinking. So wild elephants are entering the area. He advises everyone to live in the area with caution.
