Damtshang village under Langchenphu Gewog in Samdrup Jongkhar is turning into a ghost town with only one household left bracing the everyday human-wildlife conflict that haunts the village.
Invasions from elephants and other wild animals have become so serious, that almost everyone in the village has vacated their homes except for Khina Maya Adhikari and her husband. She says around fifteen years ago, there were six families living in the village. But constant damage to homes and crops by rampaging elephants and other wild animals forced the five other families to vacate their homes.
Khina Maya says it is difficult without any neighbours.
“They left after elephants caused damages to their houses and crops. So far my house hasn’t been damaged by the elephants. I will not go anywhere from here. But I am not able to grow anything since the elephants and other wild animals keep on invading our farms. It’s getting more difficult by the day since we don’t have any neighbours,” said Khina Maya Adhikari, from Damtshang under Langchenphu Gewog in Samdrup Jongkhar.
The five households who left Damtshang village currently reside in Langchenphu chiwog after getting land kidu. Meanwhile, all their land in Damtshang village has remained fallow for the past 15 years.
“I still want to cultivate on my farmland there but even if we do so, we don’t get anything. I constructed a house there after getting electricity and water, but it was damaged by the wild elephants, so I decided not to stay there,” said Norbu Lhamo, a farmer living in Langchenphu.
“Up there we faced many problems. Without much neighbours, it is quite difficult, like when we fall sick. After my grandfather died, we couldn’t stay there. The elephants damaged all the areca nut trees and oranges. Road and electricity are connected there but I can’t think of cultivating any crops up there. We would be grateful if we get support from the gewog,” added Dawa Dema, who is also living in Langcenphu now.
Meanwhile, Langchenphu Gewog Administration says they are planning to set up about two kilometres of solar fences for the family in Damtshang village.
“There is only one household in the village right now. And with support from the gewog agriculture and forest office, we will install solar fences for the one household this year. But if the others who have left the village also decide to come back, we will be rendering support to them as well,” said Wang Gyeltshen, the Mangmi of Langchenphu Gewog.
There are around 40 people with their census registered under Damtshang village. Damtshang is located about 7 kilometres away from Langchenphu Gewog Centre.
Kinley Wangchuk
