Shillong, Aug 29: Nondescript Lahapara village is located at the inter-state boundary between Assam (Goalpara) and Meghalaya (West Garo Hills). The nearby villages of Khokapara, Belguri and Naguapara are part of West Garo Hills, while other neighbouring villages, such as Besorkona, Batapara and Pukhuripara, belong to Assam.
The residents of these villages in both Assam and Meghalaya have been facing hardships because of the raging human-elephant conflict (HEC) for a long time.
Biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak in partnership with the Lakhipur Forest Range in Goalpara and the West Garo Hills Wildlife Range organised an awareness-cum- community interaction programme on HEC mitigation and coexistence at Lahapara on August 25.
One of the key suggestions made by community representatives during the interaction was to form joint patrolling teams by Assam and Meghalaya Forest Departments to bolster elephant protection and HEC mitigation.
The programme was supported under the joint sponsorship of the Darwin Initiative, the British Asian Trust and the Goalpara Forest Division.
Approximately 90 people, including 40 women, from various bordering villages from Assam and Meghalaya attended the awareness programme that featured interactions with community members by Lakhipur Forest Range team, led by Range Officer Dharmendra Das and the West Garo Hills (Wildlife) Range team, led by Oshim B Sangma.
Das talked about efforts for conservation of elephants, forests, and nature. He emphasized the importance of understanding elephant movement areas and suggested that the community avoid mono-crop practices.
Sangma discussed the ongoing implementation of HEC mitigation measures in villages along the Assam-Meghalaya border. He highlighted several upcoming activities aimed at further mitigation.
Anjan Baruah from Aaranyak spoke about elephant behaviour and the causes of HEC, as well as various mitigation techniques designed to protect both lives and property. He provided some helpful dos and don’ts to help reduce HEC.
Madhuram Rabha talked about his dedication to elephant conservation while Sanjib Rabha from Khokapara, Meghalaya, passionately voiced his concerns regarding the preservation of elephants in the region.
He urged the Meghalaya Forest Department to work collaboratively with local villagers and the Forest Department of Assam to form a dedicated team focused on elephant conservation. Further, he proposed the establishment of a watchtower to monitor and protect these magnificent animals.
Norway Rabha from Belguri, Meghalaya, along with Manjay Rabha and Nripen Rabha from Batapara, Assam, discussed the current issues related to elephants and proposed mitigation measures. They emphasized on measures from the forest departments of both Assam and Meghalaya, such as installing solar street lights, watchtowers, and solar fencing.
