GOLAGHAT, Dec 14 � More than 80 villages of Doigurung, Morongi, Rongajan, Lokonzam, Kuruwabali, Diffolu, Rajabari, Fullangani, Letekuzan, Numaligarh, Telgaram and Bihora in Golaghat district have been greatly affected by wild elephants since April last.
The people of the villages have been spending sleepless nights due to depredations by the elephants. A herd of more than 80 wild elephants recently damaged their dwelling houses and destroyed standing crops. During the month of November and early part of December, the elephants damaged more than eight granaries. Several people were also injured. Several quarters of tea garden employees of Bogidhola, Bokial and Rongajan were damaged.
In Bokakhat and Porajanghat areas near Numaligarh Refinery Limited, the elephants damaged a number of dwelling houses and standing crops.
Though the aggrieved people had approached the Forest Department, but it failed to drive out the wild elephants, it was alleged by the people.
The wild elephants come out of the Bizuli forest reserve and Nambor reserved forest at night and destroy dwelling houses and plantain trees. The affected people had demanded the Forest Department to drive out the elephants, but to no avail.
The scale of depredation by the wild elephants was narrated by the local people to this correspondent when he met them at the spot. The affected people said that the reasons for the conflict between elephants and men were due to the plying of hundreds of trucks on NH-37. These trucks ply loaded with chips from the stone quarries of Numaligarh, Doigurung, Letekujan, Lokhouzan and Karbi Anglong district where the elephants used to roam about in search of food. Thousands of workmen are engaged in daily blasting. The Indian Railways having taken permission from the Forest Department of Golaghat, have been carrying stones, chips since April last for the construction of the Bogibeel bridge. As a result the entire environment of the areas has been polluted and damaged.
Moreover, the proposed elephant project has also been stopped. The elephant project was started on Itanki in Karbi Anglong in 1992. This place is quite suitable and congenial for elephant habitation. This area consisting of 3,370 sqkm was reserved for elephant project in 2003 and it was announced on April 17, 2003 as elephant project.
This place is a natural corridor for the elephants of Karbi Anglong, Kaziranga and Nambor. During the period between 2003 to 2004, there was no such conflict between elephants and men.
But recently due to the negligence of the Golaghat Forest Department, the Bihora stone quarry was dug out and 2.5 kms stretch from Mikirsung to Bormohari areas was blasted. As a result, the elephant corridor had been disrupted. Besides, the elephants had to face threat � of continuing noise pollution.
Further, the elephants were greatly disturbed by the blasting at the stone quarries. Scarcity of food too compelled the elephants to migrate and they subsequently lost their shelter.
As the enraged elephants habitually destroy crops, damage dwelling houses and attack the villagers, hence this never-ending conflict is still continuing.
