Bijni: Human-elephant conflict in northern Bijni has escalated further, with the latest incident causing widespread concern among residents. A wild elephant from Manas National Park raided North Bijni’s Bishnupur and Sikajhora areas in search of food and wreaked havoc late at night.
According to locals, the elephant moved through residential areas before venturing into paddy fields nearby at dawn. The villagers had spotted the animal in the early morning and alerted the forest authorities with immediate effect.
Prompt action saw a team of forest officials reach the location and launch an operation to drive the elephant safely into the Manas National Park. The officials, following persistent efforts, managed to drive the animal away from the village towards its natural habitat.
Moreover, this is not an isolated incident. Locals have stated that wild elephants regularly come out of the national park in search of food every night, destroying crop fields and endangering livelihoods.
In a recent incident, a herd of almost 30 elephants entered the 18 No. Manas Serfang area. Parishad member Dhananjay Basumatary himself helped the forest officials chase away the herd using firecrackers.
Subsequently, the villagers voiced out their frustration against the government. They asserted that the government has done little to find a permanent solution to their plight despite repeated pleas. They further accused MLA Ajoy Kumar Ray of his failure to take any concrete measures despite numerous representations.
With an increasing rate of human–elephant encounters, many residents are afraid that if the situation is not urgently addressed, it may get worse and continue to endanger lives and livelihoods.