Lakhimpur Kheri / Daulatpur Nighasan : A herd of wild elephants from the Dudhwa forest wreaked havoc in the late hours of Thursday night, destroying vast swathes of farmland in Bodhiya Kala village near Maholi Farm in the Majhgai police station area. The elephants trampled sugarcane crops spread across dozens of acres, causing significant losses to local farmers.
According to villagers, this is not an isolated incident. Every year, wild elephants emerge from the jungle and devastate standing crops, leaving farmers helpless. The villagers allege that the Forest Department merely gives verbal assurances without providing any meaningful relief or compensation, leading to rising anger and frustration among the affected communities.
Majhgai Range Officer Ankit Singh stated that the Saryu canal flows near the forest border, and elephants often come to drink water there. It is during this time that they stray into farmlands and cause damage to crops. He acknowledged the recurring nature of the problem but did not specify any concrete preventive measures.
The affected farmers include Krishna Kumar, Ram Kishun, Harishchandra, Vijay Pal, Shrichand, Raybahadur, Arun Kumar, Anil Kumar, Sandeep Yadav, Keshavram, Nanhu, and Desh Kumar. All reported substantial losses and expressed fears over their future agricultural prospects.
With the frequent elephant sightings near farmlands, a sense of fear and helplessness has gripped the village. Villagers are now demanding an immediate survey by the Forest Department to assess the extent of damage and disburse adequate compensation. They also called for long-term solutions to prevent such incursions in the future, including stronger barriers, early warning systems, and active monitoring of elephant movement.
As human-wildlife conflict continues to rise near Dudhwa’s forest borders, the government’s response and readiness to protect both livelihoods and wildlife will come under increased scrutiny in the days to come.
