Shillong: Mawsynram MLA Ollan Singh Suin has urged the state government to provide immediate relief to families affected by recent elephant attacks in Chirakatta village, Mawsynram where around 12 to 13 houses have been partially damaged.
Suin, along with officials from the Wildlife Protection Department and representatives from various government departments, visited the village on Wednesday to assess the extent of the damage and interact with residents affected by the incidents.
Speaking to reporters, Suin said the team inspected damaged houses and gathered information that will be submitted to the concerned departments for further action.
“We wanted to see for ourselves the extent of the damage and understand the concerns and fears of the people,” he said.
According to Suin, although the houses were not completely destroyed, the damage has made them unsafe for residents, forcing several families to seek shelter elsewhere.
The visit also included a demonstration by wildlife officials on methods to prevent elephants from entering villages. Residents were shown techniques such as burning rolls of dried chillies wrapped in sacks, whose smoke and smell can help drive elephants away.
Suin said similar awareness and training programmes should be conducted in other villages facing human-elephant conflict.
He also stressed the need to reduce fear among villagers while promoting safer coexistence with wildlife.
“Elephants are generally not aggressive unless provoked. People need to know how to manage encounters so that conflicts between humans and animals can be avoided,” he said.
The MLA expressed concern over the delay in compensation for affected residents. He said reports on crop and house damage had already been submitted by the concerned departments last year, but relief has not yet reached the victims.
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To expedite assistance, Suin said he has written to the Minister in charge of Revenue and Disaster Management, requesting that such incidents be considered under disaster management provisions so that relief can be provided within a fixed timeframe.
The MLA said the damage was caused by a herd of elephants that has been moving through border villages in the area. The herd originally consisted of five elephants, but one was electrocuted about a week ago. The remaining four elephants continue to roam through nearby localities, damaging property and creating fear among residents.
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