Assam: Man-elephant conflict has been on the rise in the Palasbari area of Assam. This has continued to intensify across several villages under the Rani, Loharghat and Maliyata Forest Ranges of the East Kamrup and West Kamrup Forest Divisions in South Kamrup, leading to a growing human-elephant conflict in the region.
Concerned over the worsening situation, the Greater Amranga-Borihat Citizens’ Forum has initiated efforts to seek a permanent solution to the recurring elephant menace. The forum had earlier submitted a memorandum to the Kamrup District Commissioner urging immediate intervention.
Following the memorandum, a meeting was held on Saturday at the office of the Palasbari Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil), attended by representatives of the Citizens’ Forum along with officials from the Rani, Loharghat and Maliyata Forest Ranges. The meeting discussed various measures to mitigate the increasing incidents of human-elephant conflict in the greater Amranga-Borihat region and explored long-term strategies to address the issue.
Meanwhile, residents of Rangamati, Bhagawatipara, Borihat, Shikarhat, Bhalla and adjoining villages under Palasbari Police Station continue to bear the brunt of frequent elephant raids.
Speaking to TSG, a farmer named Dinesh Nath requested the intervention of the Forest Department. “A lot of elephants are causing a lot of problems. I request the Assam government and the Forest Department to help the farmers. We want the Forest Department to help us in this trouble.”
Farmers have alleged that regular patrolling by the Forest Department has not been done.
According to locals, a herd of three wild elephants entered Kolitapara in Rangamati on Friday night and damaged several houses and granaries. The elephants reportedly broke into a storehouse, consumed stored paddy and caused extensive destruction.
The herd also damaged the boundary wall of a local residence and broke into the house of Jiten Das, where they consumed nearly 40 kilograms of rice and vandalised household property. Another house belonging to Harmohan Das was also damaged. Fortunately, all the affected families managed to escape unharmed.
Besides damaging homes, the elephants entered nearby agricultural fields and consumed banana plants, sugarcane and areca nut crops, causing significant losses to local farmers.
On receiving information from villagers, officials from the Loharghat Forest Range rushed to the spot and successfully drove the elephants back into the forest.
Locals further alleged that despite repeated incidents of elephant attacks in the Palasbari and Rani areas, the Forest Department and district administration have so far failed to implement a lasting solution to the recurring problem.
