GUWAHATI: The Assam Assembly on Thursday expressed concern over the rising incidence of man-elephant conflict in the State, even as the Forest Department set December 31 as the deadline for killing Laden, a rogue elephant that trampled to death several persons in Sonitpur district.

Five elephants, including Laden, were declared rogue elephants during the last three years. However, not a single elephant was killed as they migrated to other areas.

Forest Minister Rokybul Hussain informed the House that steps had been initiated to drive out a herd of 100 elephants — creating havoc in the river island of Majuli and the adjacent Narayanpur area in Lakhimpur for the last six days — to the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong elephant reserve for temporary shelter.

Appeal for relief

Earlier, Congress members Bhupen Bora and Rajib Lochan Pegu said the Government must provide relief to the affected families. The pachyderms destroyed 300 houses in Narayanpur and 74 in Majuli since December 9.

Mr. Hussain said the primary reason for the rise in incidence of man-elephant conflict was the destruction of the animal's habitat due to large-scale encroachment of reserve forestland in Chariduar, Balipara and Sonai-Rupai. In Sonitpur wildlife division, eight persons lost their lives in elephant depredation, while five pachyderms were killed in November.

The elephant population in the State has declined. In 1993, the number of elephants was 5,524, which came down to 5,312 in 1997 and further declined to 5,246 in 2002. The Centre, therefore, turned down the State Government's request for capture and taming of wild elephants. As a long-term solution, the Forest Department decided to undertake plantation of trees in five reserves: Ripu Chirang, Sonitpur, Dihing Patkai, Kazrranga-Karbi Anglong and Dhansiri-Lungding.

Asom Gana Parishad member Padma Hazarika said wild elephants could be brought closer to humans through care after they were captured.

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