Karbi Anglong (Assam), July 25, 2014: Wildlife Trust of India awarded their annual Elephant Award 2014, to eight candidates who successfully completed their High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) in the village of Sar Kro earlier this month.

Supported by the Japan Tiger and Elephant Foundation and Elephant Family, this initiative was started as one of the means of providing moral support to the community living in the corridor, as the organisation helps the village with human-elephant conflict mitigation. All the pass-outs are from the elephant-corridor dependent village of Kalapahar-Doigurung

Congratulating the students, the village headman wished them good luck for their future and remarked, “I acknowledge the effort of WTI, JTEF and Elephant Family for their initiative and hard work. I believe this Elephant Award will motivate the younger generation towards higher education in the days to come.”

The recipients of the Award were Ransingna Terang, Johon Terang, Borun Kro, Samson Kro, Prokash Singnar, Roben Rongphar, Sonjoy Kro and Longki Terang. A cash award of 4000 INR was also given to each of the candidates, along with a certificate of recognition.

Some of the proud recepients of the award. Photo: Borsali Teron / WTI

One of the award recipients, Ransingna Teron said, “The Elephant Award if a matter of pride for us. It encourages individuals and students in this village to contribute towards wildlife conservation in the area.”

One of the local NGOs from Silonijan, Rainbow, gave an Oxford English Dictionary and a pen to all the eight awardees, showing their support for WTI.

The Development Committee members, along with the villagers and other local organisations were present for the function and appreciated the cause involved.

The Kalapahar-Doigurung Elephant Corridor is located about 22 kms from Silonijan (Karbi Anglong) on Silonijan-Chokikhola and connects Kalapahar with Doigurung-Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary and Kaziranga National Park.

For about 30 years the village of Ram Terang, named after the head of the village, has been situated in the middle of the corridor. Conflict especially in the corridor-dependent villages is a regular occurrence, owing largely due to the lack of space for the elephants to roam around in without encountering human habitation, leading to loss of property and life for both the elephants and the humans.

Through the project, WTI and its supporters including the Japan Tiger Elephant Fund and Elephant Family have been working to secure the Kalapahar Daigurung Elephant Corridor as a long-term solution to human-elephant conflicts here. Efforts are on to facilitate voluntary relocation of all 19 families of Ram Terang village located within the corridor.