DIBRUGARH, Oct 25 � After the prolonged flood that swept away vast stretches of paddy fields in Lorua mouza recently, the ravaging of the richly growing paddy plantations by wild elephants on the unaffected highlands of the area will perhaps cause more worry to the flood-hit families than ever before.
Paddy plantations on highlands remained unaffected during the six-month-long floods in three panchayats of Lorua mouza this year.
The little paddy growth, which was almost ready for harvest, was the only consolation for the flood-hit families of the area. However, elephant depredation in the area since the past one week has left the people with no hopes for relief.
The herds of elephants, according to villagers, venture out from the Medela and Dehingmukh Reserve Forests in search of food.
These wild pachyderms have been largely ravaging than feasting on the sprawling paddy plantations, Utpal Dehingia, a villager from Sessa Nagaon told this newspaper. While gulping huge paddy plantations, herds of elephants trample the standing crops.
The wild herd comprises about 60 elephants, according to villagers.
Divisional Forest Officer Anurag Singh, however, disagrees with the number stated by the villagers said that it has been exaggerated.
Depredation by elephants was not as much as estimated by the villagers, Singh said adding the elephant depredation in the area occurs almost every successive year. Lorua mouza, with about 50 villages, is a very fertile area for paddy plantations.
The marauding elephants have been causing havoc generally in Gordhuria, Baregharia Patragaon, Metekani, Sessa Nagaon, Kothalbam Changmai Suk and Medela.
