Damak, May 16:

The tunnel bar construction project which was designed by Jhapa DDC to control the entrance of wild elephants has been postponed. The wild elephants have been a headache for a long time in some VDCs in the district.

The construction of the project was reportedly postponed following the disagreement between the DDC and the consumers.

Though the 1800-metre-long tunnel bar has been constructed under the first phase of the project, the remaining work has stopped now, said chairperson of consumers’ committee, Ashok Subba. Every year the wild elephants from West Bengal, India, damage life and property in the eastern VDCs , including Bahundangi.

The locals have been demanding construction of electric fences instead of constructing tunnel bars as a means of preventing the entrance of elephants. Chairperson of consumers’ committee, Ashok Subba said the problem arose in the construction of tunnel bar after some of the consumers demanded compensation for the construction of the tunnel in their fields.

After the dispute reached a climax, the construction tools were returned, said the chairman. Rs 3 million was allotted for the construction of the project, DDC said.

The project aims at constructing a 10-feet-tall dam at major points from where elephant enter.

The length of the dam was planned to be eight kilometers from Tiring Khola (Bahundangi) to Machinagar.

Till now, wild elephants have killed around 18 people. Similarly, a hundred households have been displaced from the villages.

The DDC said attempts are being made to resume the construction of the tunnel bar by making agreement with the locals.