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Dr. TM Lotha, with members of the district administration, Lotha Hoho, district forest officials and others during inspection of elephant-damaged fields in New Wokha village, near Wokha town.[/caption]
EMN
Dimapur, September 27
Advisor for Treasuries & Accounts, Relief and Rehabilitation, Dr. TM Lotha, made a spot visit at New Wokha Village (NWV) on September 24 to have a firsthand information on the damage caused by wild elephants and held a meeting with the village council and aggrieved farmers.
Khyolamo Humtsoe, chairman of NWV, apprised the visiting legislator on the damaged caused by the wild elephants numbering around 60 households for the last two years.Humtsoe said this year alone, the herd visited three times damaging 29 agriculture and horticultural fields which had affected the livelihood of the farmers. He further sought for appropriate assistance and requested the government to device a long-term policy to tackle the menace.
Dr. Lotha, while addressing the gathering, has sympathized with the villagers for the damaged caused by the elephants and assured all possible help from the government. He also advised the village chairman to submit an accurate list of people whose property or agricultural fields were damaged accompanied with proper photographic evidence to the government for further action.
While lamenting on the loss of forest coverage at Mt. Tiyi, Dr. Lotha emphasized on the need to restore forest cover on Mt. Tiyi to avoid any ecological imbalance in the region including water scarcity. He also appreciated the villagers for making a smooth transition from traditional paddy cultivation to modern farming of cash crops and other horticultural products. He said returns are much better in cash crops, vegetables and horticultural farming.
Dr. Lotha also advised the farmers to avail benefits from the peoples’ friendly schemes launched by the BJP government at the center including the interest free loans to the farmers, accidental benefit scheme, welfare schemes for pensioners and girls’ students etc. For that, he advised the party workers to explain the policies to people at the grassroots level.
Others who spoke at the meeting included Deputy Commissioner, Wokha, A Robin Lotha; chairman of Lotha Hoho Mhao Humtsoe; and DFO Wokha. The meeting was also attended by members of Tiyi Wildlife Conservation and Animal Human Conflict Control Society, New Wokha Village, and officials of the Green Foundation, Wokha.