GOLAGHAT, Jan 4— Depredation of the wild elephants is becoming a common feature at Marangi Revenue circle within Golaghat district. A herd of wild elephants have been continuously damaging dwelling houses and standing crops of the people of the area since 2000. The elephants have so far killed more than 30 people and this has made the people of Fallangani, Fulbari, Balizan, Porajanghal Thuramukh, Kdoju and Symraipur areas spend sleepless nights.
Recently, a herd of 50 to 60 elephants had damaged — the dwelling houses of Modon Gogoi, Bopai Bora, Ghanasyam Gogoi and Sashidhar Konwar of Rangbong, Bakigal areas. The elephants also damaged several namghars, dwelling houses of Atul Phukan, Ripun Bora, Jotin Gogoi and Jadu Hazarika.
It may be mentioned that as some illegal timber traders and miscreants looted the Bizuli reserve forest by felling trees, the elephants had to roam about neighbouring villages to get food resulting in damage of dwelling houses of the people.
The people of Morongi have alleged that the Forest department had failed to drive out the wild elephants from the villages and standing crops fields. Several organisations namely South Morongi Anchalik Students Union, Small Tea Growers’ Association, Indian Students Federation, Fallangani branch had demanded to the Forest department to pay compensations to the people whose properties and crops were damaged by the elephants and demanded proper measures against the depredation of elephants within a short period.