Wild jumbos wreak havoc

A Correspondent

JORHAT, June 8: A three-member group of wild jumbos coming out of Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary had blocked the inter-State Dhudor Ali road since Wednesday night near Kothalguree and Dessoi Tea Estates, following which vehicular traffic was blocked.

The wild jumbos crushed tea bushes and destroyed eight labour quarters belonging to the labourers of Kothalguree, Dessoi and Dehengiapara Tea Estates. Later, all three were chased towards the foothills of the Assam-Nagaland border when food is expected to be in plenty, said forest range officer Dipak Dutta on Thursday.

The Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, which is the home to over 60 jumbos, is facing shortage of food resources due to which the tuskers frequently venture out. Several nature clubs, organizations and wildlife conservators have blamed the government and the forest department for non-completion of several Central government schemes meant for the animals of Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, said Dulan Nayak, a social activist of Mariani.