GUWAHATI: The Indian Army has started to remove multiple rows of sharp iron spikes cemented on the ground off its Narengi Cantonment in Guwahati that borders the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary to keep elephants off its premises.
This bed of metallic spikes was laid down to prevent wild elephants from destroying food stock. These spikes that have been placed outside the periphery of a major supply depot of the Army cantonment since 2003 have injured many elephants and might have even been the cause of death for at least two other wild elephants in the area, according to forest officials.
Assam’s wildlife officials have said that the Army had earlier ignored any formal requests to remove the spikes.
Pradipta Baruah, the Divisional Forest Officer of Guwahati Wildlife Division had written the last letter seeking to remove the spikes to a Colonel in charge of the Cantonment after the death of the first elephant due to these spikes on December 25. Wildlife veterinarians said that the second elephant died in February and third in early March.
A senior army officer said that they had noted the reports of elephant deaths and started working on removing the spikes.