DCNWRU flags elephant intrusions in Wozhuro Range, seeks redressal

Highlighting the issue of wild elephant rampage, Wozhuro Range, Nagaland – the DCNWRU said residents of Wozhuro Range had endured repeated destruction of their agricultural fields, property, and threats to personal safety for the past three to four years due to frequent elephant intrusions.
DCNWRU chairman R Zuthungo Khuvung, vice-chairman P Ponathung Tsanglao and general secretary Nyanbemo Odyuo in a press release stated that these attacks had caused immense distress among the farming community, whose entire livelihood depended on agriculture. They lamented that despite numerous formal appeals made by the public, village council, and student bodies to the deputy commissioner and relevant departments, no concrete response or action had been taken to mitigate the crisis.
They demanded immediate deployment of forest guards or wildlife response teams to monitor and protect the affected villages, provide timely compensation for all victims and affected farmers whose crops and properties had been damaged, and implement long-term measures to prevent further human-wildlife conflict, including fencing, surveillance, and early warning systems. The duo cautioned that if these demands were not addressed promptly, the public might be compelled to take their own course of action in defence of life and livelihood, a step they hoped to avoid through peaceful intervention and support from the government. They called upon chief minister Dr Neiphiu Rio and all departments concerned to treat this as a priority issue, and take swift and appropriate action.