A CORRESPONDENT
DIBRUGARH: Residents of Bordoibam village in Dibrugarh district face a dual threat from riverbank erosion and recurring incursions by wild elephants from the nearby Dehing-Medela Reserve Forest.
Bordoibam and neighbouring Moina Miri Gaon in the Lezai area, under Khowang constituency, have been grappling with human-elephant conflict for years. Villagers said elephants regularly enter the villages and adjoining fields, particularly during winter, damaging standing crops and causing substantial losses to farmers.
"We are stuck in the middle. On one side, there is erosion, and on the other, there is the threat of wild elephants. Elephants have killed many people in our village, but the department concerned has not taken any effective steps to address the issue," said Bordoibam resident Hitesh Gogoi.
Another resident, Sumitra Changmai, said the problem intensifies in winter, when elephants also venture close to human settlements, increasing the risk of encounters.
Villagers also expressed concern over wild buffaloes. Dilip Mili, 55, of Moina Miri Gaon, said an elephant herd destroyed five bighas of his cropland last year, but he has received no compensation. His father was killed in a wild buffalo attack in 2001 while checking their cropland. Villagers have sought timely compensation for crop losses and effective measures to minimise human-elephant conflict, saying coordinated efforts by the forest department and local administration are needed. Without timely intervention, they fear erosion and wildlife incursions will continue to threaten livelihoods and safety.
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