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Assam News: A herd of elephants that came from Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary in Golaghat killed 10 people. 5 elephants have also died. According to an estimate, this year elephants have damaged more than 80 houses and more than 50 acres of fields. Human-elephant conflict has become a deep crisis in Golaghat, Assam.
Guwahati. Many villages in Golaghat district of Assam are devastated by wild elephants. Herds of elephants coming out of Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary damage crops and create havoc in settlements. Due to this there is panic among the people here. Forest officials said that so far 10 people have lost their lives in the conflict between humans and wild elephants. Besides, five elephants have also died.
Golaghat DFO Mukut Chandra Das said, “The destruction caused by elephants is more this year than last year. Earlier there were two assembly constituency limits – Golaghat and Khumti. This year Marangi has also been included in our forest division area. There has been huge destruction especially in Marangi Mauza. 10 people have lost their lives in the man-animal conflict. Five elephants have also died in this conflict.”
Local people are demanding immediate resolution of this crisis. On the other hand, forest officials say that it is very important to spread awareness among the common people about the conservation of natural habitats of wild animals. Das said, “We have to conserve the natural fodder of elephants. We encroach on their natural habitats and cut trees and other food items for our commercial use and as fuel. This leaves nothing for the elephants. It is important to spread awareness among the people.” According to an estimate, this year elephants have damaged more than 80 houses and more than 50 acres of fields.
Human-elephant conflict in Golaghat: a matter of increasing concern
The increasing conflict between humans and elephants in Golaghat district of Assam is becoming a serious humanitarian and environmental crisis. Due to shrinking forests, rapid urbanization and expansion of agriculture, the natural habitat of wild elephants is continuously decreasing. In such a situation, elephants are moving towards villages and farms in search of food and water, due to which incidents of conflict have increased. In many rural areas of Golaghat, herds of elephants often damage paddy fields, vegetable crops and houses at night. Due to this, farmers have to suffer huge financial loss. In many cases, people have lost their lives in elephant attacks, while there have also been incidents of elephants dying in retaliation or accidents. This conflict is proving fatal for both sides.
According to experts, illegal encroachment and infrastructure development in the elephant corridors connecting Kaziranga National Park and surrounding forest areas has disrupted the traditional movement of elephants. Railway lines, roads and tea plantations have come between elephant routes, making safe movement difficult for them. The State Forest Department is taking several measures to deal with this problem. Elephant-proof fences, solar fencing, watch towers and quick response teams have been deployed in the villages. Apart from this, alert system and awareness campaigns are also being run to alert the villagers. However, the effectiveness of these measures at the ground level still remains a challenge.
Experts believe that a permanent solution to human-elephant conflict is possible only if elephant corridors are revived, forests are conserved and the needs of wildlife are given priority in development plans. Besides, it is also important to provide timely compensation and alternative livelihood opportunities to the affected villagers. This conflict in Golaghat is a warning of the deteriorating state of balance between man and nature.
