A CORRESPONDENT
BOKAKHAT: Wild elephants in the Rongbang area of Numaligarh have been wandering into human settlements in search of food, creating growing tension between humans and wildlife. Locals have captured striking images of elephants poking their trunks through household fences to rummage for food, a sight that reflects a deepening crisis in the region.
For years, Numaligarh and its surrounding areas have been under the constant threat of elephant incursions. In their desperate search for sustenance, the animals often damage homes and courtyards, leaving residents sleepless and fearful.
The escalating elephant–human conflict is not unique to Numaligarh but has become widespread across Assam. While the people of the state take pride in their elephants, they are increasingly burdened by the dangers the animals now pose. Experts say the conflict has reached its peak due to large-scale deforestation, which has destroyed elephant corridors, depleted habitats, and caused severe food shortages for the animals.
The expansion of National Highway 37 from Numaligarh to Dibrugarh alone resulted in the felling of lakhs of trees. Although the Assam government pledged to counter this through large-scale afforestation, promising to plant one crore saplings, the actual progress remains unclear. Records show funds allocated under the “National Afforestation” program included Rs 2.56 crore in 2015–16, Rs 30 crore in 2016–17, Rs 70 crore in 2017–18, and Rs 45.84 crore in 2018–19. However, the effectiveness of these initiatives remains in doubt.
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