Human Elephant Conflict Update Northeastern India

July 6, 2005

The Assam Tribune, Guwahati, 06, July, 2005 (www.assamtribune.com)

Elephants kill one more at Numaligarh

From Sanjoy Kr Hazarika

DERGAON, July 5 – Depredation by a herd of wild elephants is

continuing at Numaligarh. The herd again killed one person at

Goriajan Tea Estate under Dergaon police station at 3-30 am last

night. According to the Dergaon Police, the herd killed Deepa Tanti

(30) of Gariajan TE on the spot while her husband Ponaram Tanti and

three minor sons received minor injuries.

Top civil officials along with forest officials visited the spot and

declared an amount of Rs five thousand as ex-gratia relief to the kin

of the deceased.

On the other hand due to the public pressure, the Forest Department

has taken up steps to control the herd by using kunki elephants. A

total of six kunki have been engaged. At present the herd comprising

about 50 wild elephants are now near at Babathan.

The DFO, RK Das talking to The Assam Tribune said they have been

trying to control the situation. He said that the public of Dhodang

Chapari area had created a chaos yesterday for which the kunkis could

not be deployed.

Meanwhile the chief conservator of forest Mohan Malakar has issued an

order to shoot down one `rogue' elephant as he is reportedly

responsible for killing nine persons. The government has also called

in noted hunter Dinesh Choudhury to shoot it down. The decision,

however, created a resentment among the nature lovers of the

district. They questioned how the Department had come into a

conclusion that only that elephant is responsible for the havoc.

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