A herd of elephants entered the steel city and gathered near a pilgrimage site triggering panic among people today.
The herd comprising 10 jumbos positioned at Vedvyas, a famous Shaivaite pilgrimage spot in the wee hours, Divisional Forest Officer (Rourkela) Sanjit Kumar said.
The operation to chase away the elephants would begin in the evening, said Kumar.
"After sun set we'll launch the driving and the department would be extra careful to ensure that the elephants do not enter the river Brahmani which is in spate. We'll drive them away through the Sankh River and would chase them to Kumarpahad, a hill range near Chutiatola," he said.
This was the same herd which had entered the city in July last year and chased away by the girl elephant chaser Nirmala Toppo.
Stating that the service of Nirmala would not be sought this time, Kumar said over 90 experts had been provided by the government for such job.
