Correspondent
RUKSIN, 6 Oct: Villagers in Lingka in East Siang district have urged the Forest Department to ensure early installation of solar-operated electric fencing around the village to prevent wild elephants and wild boars straying out of the nearby Poba reserve forest (RF) from destroying their cereal crops, horticulture gardens and other properties.
They made the appeal during a programme organised by the Pasighat territorial division of the department in the village on Tuesday as part of the Wildlife Week celebration.
The villagers also demanded that the forest authority provide compensation for crop damages.
HGB Taje Tapak, village secretary Sakge Gadi, panchayat chairperson Ateng Modi and senior citizens of the village expressed their grievances before the forest officials, lamenting that many compensation claims for crop damage by wild elephants have remained unpaid for years despite repeated requests.
According to forest officials, there is a wild elephant corridor linking Poba RF, Pasighat RF and Daying Ering Wildlife Sanctuary on the outskirts of Pasighat town. Herds of wild jumbos roaming in the area sometimes get dispersed and enter human habitations in search of food.
Attending the programme, probationary IFS officer Chetak Sawant urged the villagers to save wild animals, birds and other resources, stating that they are vital biotic components for maintaining ecological balance.
Explaining the objective of the celebration, Ruksin Range Forest Officer Opang Jamoh said the Environment & Forest Department celebrates Wildlife Week to raise awareness about the importance of protecting and conserving forests and wildlife. He urged local villagers to cooperate with the Forest Department to mitigate human-elephant conflicts.
On the occasion, six individuals from the locality surrendered their airguns before forest officials and assured them of joining the campaign for wildlife protection.
