Nagaon, Dec. 26 -- The sight of golden paddy swaying in unison with the breeze catches the eye when one passes through Hatikhuli Ronghang area located along the Nagaon-Karbi Anglong borders in Central Assam.
Although the sight of fields brimming with ripe paddy is common in the rural belts of Assam, the scene here along the Nagaon-Karbi Anglong border is the first sign of change that these areas have witnessed over the years.
For decades, people in hundreds of villages in the area have lived under the shadow of terror caused by elephants. Thousands of people in close to 200 villages have abandoned farming due to the elephant menace. As the traditional practice of agriculture dwindled, the young people migrated outside the state for manual...