A CORRESPONDENT
BOKAKHAT: Wild elephant terror continues unabated in Numaligarh. In Morongi's Kenduguri, Mitham Aam Chapori, and Halowa villages, a herd of more than fifty wild elephants including calves has created havoc. Day and night, this large herd that keeps roaming across the area has completely destroyed the paddy fields that farmers cultivated with the sweat of their brows.
During the daytime, the elephants take shelter in the tea gardens, but as soon as evening falls, the herd comes out in search of food. In this manner they have been ravaging crop fields and even entering households daily. As a result, an atmosphere of extreme helplessness prevails among the farmers. Last night alone, around 85 elephants descended into the fields of this region.
Villagers rush out to chase the herd away from their fields. They beat tin sheets and burst crackers to scare off the elephants. Only two forest workers, including someone like Nidhiram Sardar, show up. The farmers remain helpless spectators. From 8 pm until around 2 am, villagers struggle continuously to drive the elephants away. This is the reality from the paddy fields of Numaligarh's Roudowa.
In the fields of Roudowa Fathir, Nopathar, Kuruwabahi, and surrounding areas of Numaligarh, herds of elephants roam in groups. On the other hand, on Tuesday another herd of nearly 70 elephants has been reported to be moving from Nambor towards Kuwani.
Statistics show that despite Assam being the second-largest elephant habitat in India with 5,719 elephants, human-elephant conflict has been rising at an alarming rate. In contrast, Karnataka, which has the highest elephant population at 6,049, has seen the conflict steadily decrease-reporting only 38 deaths in 2016-17, 23 in 2017-18, and 13 in 2018-19.
Reportedly, of the 1,03,796.87 hectares of forest area in the Nambor-Doigrung reserve under the Golaghat forest division, 86,550 hectares are encroached. Even in Numaligarh Deopahar, a large portion of its 134 hectares remains under encroachment. As forest areas continue to be converted into human settlements, wild animals, especially elephants, are destroying crop fields in search of food and attacking villagers.
Also Read: Assam: Young Woman Killed as Wild Elephant Rampages Through Kheroni Area