CORRESPONDENT
NAGAON: Despite rising human-elephant conflict across Nagaon District, the Forest Department has failed to curb wild elephant attacks, triggering anger among residents.
For months, wild elephants have been wreaking havoc in areas including Kaliabor, Samaguri, Barhampur, Kandali, Bamuni, Chapanala, and Kachua. Last night, a herd of wild elephants again went on a rampage in Tapatjuri, under the Barhampur areas, in the district. The herd, which had descended from the Kandali Chuwang reserve forest in search of food, split into smaller groups and attacked several homes in Tapatjuri. Residents narrowly escaped with their lives as the elephants vandalised houses, destroyed betel nut gardens, and uprooted trees and crops.
Forest destruction in the hills along the Nagaon-Karbi Anglong border has left elephants without adequate food, forcing herds to move down to foothill areas regularly in search of sustenance. The situation has intensified the conflict.
In the past month alone, five people have died in wild elephant attacks in the district. Locals from the affected areas have long been demanding safety and security from the rampaging elephants, but the Forest Department has not been successful in controlling the situation. Victims of the latest attacks have now urged the government and the Forest Department to provide adequate compensation to those who suffered losses.
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