Members of Old Changsu Village Council during a press conference held at the village on August 11. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Wokha | August 11
The Old Changsu Village Council has reportedly appealed to the Deputy Commissioner of Wokha for urgent assistance following extensive damage to paddy fields and crops, which it said was caused by recurring wild elephant raids.
Addressing a press conference held at the Village Council Hall on August 11, the council stated that farmers have suffered repeated crop losses over the years without receiving compensation or adequate intervention from the concerned departments.
According to the council, officials had not visited the affected areas in previous years despite the reported damages and the lack of response had left affected farmers struggling to recover from recurring losses.
The council also informed that a general meeting held on August 8 has resolved to submit relevant documents, including photographs of damaged crops and a list of affected farmers, to the Deputy Commissioner, District Forest Office and Wildlife Warden, Wokha.
With the harvesting season approaching, the council expressed apprehension that further elephant raids could worsen the situation and called for immediate measures to protect agricultural fields and the livelihoods of farming families.
As part of the relief measures, the council proposed that each affected household be provided one bag of rice every month for one year, stating that many families were finding it difficult to sustain themselves due to repeated crop losses.
The council also cautioned that continued failure to address the grievances could lead the community to consider traditional practices, including hunting.
Any such development would be a consequence of the authorities’ failure to respond to the community’s concerns, it maintained.
