Kohima: Wild elephants are storming through Wokha, Nagaland, as the harvest season picks up steam. A herd of 12 to 13 elephants, including calves, trampled a paddy field at Chanka village around 2 a.m. on September 12. Farmers on night patrol tried to scare them off, but the animals remain nearby. Villagers are terrified. This follows similar raids on September 3 and 5 that devastated rubber plantations, areca nut groves, and additional paddy crops.
Sentsüdy PB Sen Yanthan, President of the VDB Secretaries Association, says these incursions happen nearly every week. Affected farmers previously received between Rs. 9,000 and Rs. 10,000 in relief, but victims argue that payout ignores the actual cost of labor, investment, and lost yield. Yanthan has contacted the Forest Department, the Wildlife Warden, and the Assistant Conservator of Forests to push for real solutions. He wants solar lights for the village and a watchtower to track elephant movements. So far, the government has only offered awareness programs, which Yanthan views as ineffective for the people on the ground.
He has sent an open letter to the local MLA and the Minister for Forest, Environment and Climate Change. The situation is tense. One villager even suggested controlling the elephant population, though that is not an official plan. Yanthan warns that the current path is unsustainable. He asked: "What if an untoward incident happens and a person loses their life? Who will take the responsibility?" Local residents need protection before a tragedy strikes.
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