TEZPUR, Dec 12 - Man-elephant conflict in Sonitpur district is now turning catastrophic for both elephants and humans. The latest tragic incident of five elephants getting crushed by a train near Balipara came close on the heels of a Bhalukpung-based ITBP jawan dying an untimely death on December 3 when a wild tusker attacked his Bhalukpung-based camp. The deceased was identified as Paban Kumar of Haryana.
Earlier, one Chandan Das of Nameri Rihajuli was killed by a wild elephant while he was on way to his friend�s home. The people of Mulangaon, Charidwar, Balipara, Dhekerigaon, Dighali, Owholagaon, Gormora, Bogijuli, Bhakatgaon etc., under Charidwar revenue circle near Nameri National Park are passing sleepless nights for the last couple of months due to the pachyderm havoc. Herds of wild elephants are damaging large areas of paddy fields and dwellings of many families in the area.
It may be noted that since last year the problem has got aggravated as many elephant-grazing areas and corridors have decreased. Of these places, the Balipara AIDC area was an important and permanent elephant habitat spot. However, after the area was given away in the name of development to companies like Patanjali and Dabur India Limited, the wild elephants have been facing problems in their habitat. As this area was an elephant habitat, herds now enter the villages or tea garden areas causing massive damages. To check the menace, the villagers adopt certain unwanted ways like poisoning, digging of big trenches so that elephants fall into it, electrocution etc. Till date, as a result of such ways adopted by the villagers, many wild elephants have been killed.
Recently, a carcass of a wild elephant was found near Chatai railway track in Nameri National Park. The carcass bore a number of bullet injuries of a handmade gun. Forest department officials informed this reporter that the bullets recovered from the body of the elephant carcass have been sent to forensic science laboratory for proper investigation. The common people of the area and the wildlife lovers like Sourav Barkataki have expressed their total annoyance over the growing man-elephant conflict.