Awareness meetings are being held in villages exposed to man-crocodile conflict. (Representational)
In view of the recurring crocodile-man conflict in Odisha, the forest department has issued advisories asking the residents of riverside villages in Kendrapara district to not venture into water-bodies infested with the reptile.
"We have sounded precautionary warning in view of the recurring outbreak of man-animal conflict. Yesterday, a 27-year-old woman Ms Saraswati Pradhan was grievously wounded in an attack by a crocodile in a creek in Ramnagar village.
"At least five persons have been injured in various parts of the district in the past three weeks in croc attack," Mahakalpada Forest Range Officer Bijoy Kumar Parida said.
The forest department has also initiated steps to sensitise people to curb man-animal conflict.
Awareness meetings are being held in riverside villages exposed to man-crocodile conflict.
Elected representatives of panchayati raj bodies have been advised to persuade people to stay away from water bodies, creeks and rivulets.
Public announcement system vans would shortly visit vulnerable villages to distribute leaflets and advisories asking people to keep safe distance from croc-infested water bodies, Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division, Bimal Prasanna Acharya said.
38 villages have been identified as croc-infested zones and accordingly local sarpanchs and GP representatives have been instructed to alert the villagers, he said.