Tuskers spread havoc in Jalpaiguri

Wild elephants continue to spread havoc in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri District, forcing residents to migrate to safer places.

The elephants damaged large tracts of paddy fields, causing a threat to humankind and livelihood in the village.

The villages in the district are more than a hundred years old, but there is hardly any sign of human existence. The streets wore a deserted look, as many villagers were forced to move to other places to avert any kind of damage caused by the tuskers.

"We took the decision to leave the village only due to the threat posed by wild elephants as the herd came to the village and destroyed the houses and the paddy fields. However the situation has changed and the villages are empty. Previously, the villagers lived here peacefully and one of the schools was running well, but now it's almost empty," said Somita Roy, a resident.

Villagers have abandoned Kamatpara, as it continues to bear the brunt of the ongoing elephant menace.

Due to the fear of wild elephants, the government-run school in the village has only 18 students. The scenario was a little different a decade ago, when more than 90 students had enrolled in the school.

"Initially, our school had over 95 students, but now there are only 25 students in the school. The reason for such a small number is that this area is a coastal area, so the elephants come out at night everyday and due to this menace; a lot of people have left this place," said Ranjit Roy, a teacher.

Environmentalists and other experts have attributed the rise of such incidents to human encroachment and decreasing forest cover due to which elephants have started venturing more frequently into human inhabited places. (ANI)