Northeast Frontier Railways have allegedly threatened to destroy paddy planted along the tracks in Mongpong

Kalimpong, Sept. 16: Officials of the Northeast Frontier Railways have allegedly threatened to destroy paddy planted along the tracks in Mongpong as they attract elephants and pose a threat to the animals.

Villagers said a group of railway officials had visited Mongpong, 45km from here, on Wednesday.

“They told us that elephants are drawn to the fields that are very close to the tracks. If the animals come near the rail lines, then they can be hit by moving trains. The officials also warned us that if we failed to clear the paddy on our own, they would do the job themselves,” said Man Bahadur Tamang, a 64-year-old farmer from the village.

About 1km stretch of the track that leads to the Dooars passes through Mongpong.

The residents said a team of officials had visited the village again yesterday and wanted to clear the fields.

The team, however, returned when the villagers protested.

Pradip Sonam, president of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s Mongpong unit, said the residents had approached the party to take up the issue with the leaders.

“The railways acted without giving the villagers any written notice. Having no other choice we sought the help of the Morcha’s highway block committee. A team of committee members visited us yesterday and promised to take up the matter with the party higher-ups,” said Sonam.

Sagar Lama, the convener of the highway committee of the Morcha who visited the village yesterday, said: “Land is the only source of sustenance for the villagers there. The railways will be held responsible if the residents of the area rise in protest if their livelihood is threatened.”

Sonam said although some of the land on which paddy is cultivated in Mongpong belongs to the railways, about 35 families have been cultivating crops on the fields for several decades.

“The villagers have been using the land for about 60-70 years. For the railways to now ask them to stop cultivation in the area is unacceptable. In any case not a single elephant has died after being hit by a train in the area,” he said.

The chief public relations officer of the NFR, S. Hajong, however, said he was not aware of any railway team visiting the village.

“The railway department has not issued any instructions to destroy paddy in any fields in Mongpong,” he said over the phone.

TT