May 28: Wild elephants rampaging crops in Southern Bhutan is a perennial problem.

The government has come out with various measures to deter the elephants but to no avail.

Sipsu geog in Samtse was the latest to be attacked by the elephants. After spending many sleepless nights guarding their crops, this is what has been left when a herd of elephants rampaged through the fields in Sipsu geog in Samtse last week.

Farmers said the elephants this year visited their field much earlier than the previous years.

The Gup of Sipsu geog Ranjit Gurung said the elephants have destroyed 17 acres of maize and a few acres of ginger in just one week. Some farmers said all their hard work has gone down the drain with hardly anything left standing in their fields.

Farmers said the government provided solar fencing to prevent elephants from entering the fields. But the fencing is now rusted and worn out. Until a lasting solution is found, the farmers will have to continue to spend sleepless nights only to find their crops damaged.