Assam: Elephants destroy homes in Makum amid deforestation in Tinsukia

In a disturbing incident, a herd of wild elephants caused significant damage to houses in Niz Makum village, located within the 83 No. Margherita Constituency of Tinsukia district. The attack, which took place on Wednesday night, July 11 has been attributed to the ongoing deforestation in the Upper Dehing forest reserve area, compelling the elephants to forage for food in human settlements.

Residents of Margherita sub-division, under the Digboi Forest Division, are no strangers to such encounters, as the destruction of precious trees forces these wild pachyderms into their communities. These invasions have tragically resulted in fatalities due to trampling by the elephants.

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On the fateful night, the elephants emerged from the Upper Dehing forest reserve and proceeded to devastate homes in Niz Makum village, Ward No. 6, which falls under the Bhittorpowai Gaon Panchayat of the Margherita Legislative Assembly Constituency (LAC). The affected residents include Sukmon Proja, Rajen Proja, Promila Proja, and Hunkon Konwar.

Rajen Proja recounted the harrowing event, stating, "Due to the rampant deforestation in the Upper Dehing reserve forest, wild elephants entered our residential areas in search of food and vandalized our houses. We barely managed to escape with our family members."

He expressed grave concerns about the future, warning that the entire Upper Dehing forest reserve might soon be depleted if deforestation continues unchecked. Proja placed the blame squarely on Digboi Forest Division's Divisional Forest Officer T. C. Ranjith Ram and other officials for their failure to curb the illegal logging activities.

"The elephants will end up residing in our areas, continuously destroying our homes," Proja lamented, highlighting the urgent need for effective forest management to prevent further human-wildlife conflicts.