Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Residents of Bordoibam and Moina Miri Gaon in Assam live under constant siege. Located 22 km from Dibrugarh in the Khowang constituency, these villages suffer from relentless riverbank erosion. Wild elephants from the Dehing-Medela Reserve Forest also terrorize the community.
Herds push into residential areas and fields during winter months to forage. They trample crops and destroy property. Hitesh Gogoi, a local resident, described the desperation. "We are caught between two problems. On one side, erosion is taking away our land, while on the other, wild elephants threaten our lives and livelihoods," he said. He added that multiple residents have died during these encounters.
Farmer Dilip Mili lost five bighas of land to elephant damage last year. He still awaits government compensation. His father died in 2001 after a wild buffalo attack in the fields. The residents also report that wild buffaloes remain a deadly hazard for those working the land.
Sumitra Changmai said the winter season spikes the danger as hungry animals move closer to homes. Villagers now demand immediate financial help for their destroyed crops. They want the forest department and local administration to build better protections. They need action to stop the destruction of their homes and livelihoods.
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