Agartala: Repeated incursions by wild elephants into villages under Teliamura subdivision in Tripura’s Khowai district have left residents living in constant fear, with villagers demanding a long-term solution to the recurring human-elephant conflict.
The worst-affected villages include Krishnapur, Champlai, Office Tilla and Chakmaghat, where herds of elephants reportedly enter human settlements almost every night in search of food. The repeated raids have disrupted normal life, damaged homes and crops, and created a sense of insecurity among local residents.
Villagers in Krishnapur said nearly 70 families remain on high alert every night. Armed with torches, tin containers and sticks, groups of residents patrol their villages after dusk to drive away elephant herds before they can reach houses and agricultural fields.
Residents alleged that although the problem has persisted for several years, no permanent solution has been implemented. They said measures taken by the Forest Department have offered only temporary relief, while the fear of elephant attacks continues to loom large.
According to villagers, elephant raids have damaged both kutcha and pucca houses and destroyed standing crops, including paddy, maize and other agricultural produce. The repeated crop losses have severely affected farming families, many of whom depend entirely on agriculture for their livelihood. Some farmers say they are now considering abandoning cultivation due to mounting financial losses. Villagers also claimed that previous incidents linked to the conflict had resulted in loss of human lives.
Forest Department officials have undertaken preventive measures to restrict elephant movement into human habitations. However, local residents maintain that the efforts have not been sufficiently effective in preventing repeated incursions.
Local sources attribute the increasing movement of elephant herds towards villages to food scarcity in the Atharamura hill forests and changes in the forest ecosystem, forcing the animals to venture into human settlements in search of food.
Wildlife experts believe that lasting solutions will require more than simply driving elephants away from villages. They have suggested restoring natural food sources inside forests, protecting elephant corridors, improving habitat management and ensuring timely compensation for affected families.
Meanwhile, local MLA and Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma has been holding regular discussions with the Forest Department to explore measures aimed at reducing elephant incursions and safeguarding residents of the affected villages, according to local sources.
