Unabated deaths of wild elephants continue in Udalguri

The carcass of a 80 years old wild tusker has been found at Phulungjhar Kolbari of Udalguri district near Indo-Bhutan border at 12.30 pm on December 14,taking death toll of wild elephants to 8 in 2012.The dead body bore no injury marks and eye witnesses say that the tusker was limping on its legs the previous day. Forest officials claimed to have rescued both the tusks. MP Sarma, ACF, Dhansiri Forest Division,who attended the post postmortem on December 15 told this correspondent that the tusker had been blind with right side eye and its right side hind leg was 35 CM shorter than other legs. According to him old age could have been a cause but did nor rule out poisoning. He said viscera of the carcass had been sent for forensic test. Nature loving people,media fraternity and environmental NGOs of the district namely- Green Valley Forest and Wildlife Protection Society,Nonaipar and Green Society,Udalguri have expressed concern at regular deaths of wild elephants and human beings. So far nine people and eight wild elephants have lost lives in the district during 2012. Bankim Sarma,DFO,Dhansiri Forest Division,Udalguri told this correspondent that he had urgently placed the matter before Khampa Borgayari, Deputy Chief,BTC and Girish Chandra Basumatari,CCF,BTC for deployment of more forest staff in Udalguri district. According to him BTC authority had agreed to provide 5 KM long Solar fencing at vulnerable places to check man-elephant conflict.