Nagaland: Wild elephants continue to destroy farmlands in Wokha

Kohima: While the whole community was celebrating Christmas on Tuesday, a herd of about 35 wild elephants wandered inside the farmland area at Haili, about 7 km from Mekokla in Wokha district, and destroyed rubber and sugarcane plantation belonging to over 25 farmers of the village.

As per reports, the rampage continued on Wednesday night as well.

As per Mekokla village council (MVC) chairman Nyamo Z Yanthan, several farmhouses and properties belonging to the farmers of the village were also damaged in the incident. However, loss of lives was averted as most of the farmers were away in the village for Christmas.

According to the MVC chairman, no initiative was taken by the district administration despite being alerted which led to a similar rampage on the second night on Wednesday.

The MVC has been urging the district administration and the forest department to initiate wildlife-controlling and remedial measures but to no avail. The council also made an appeal to the authorities concerned to depute some officials to the village to assess the damages caused by the wild elephants and grant adequate compensation to the farmers.