A 2.3 kilometre-long solar-powered electric fence to restrict movement of wild elephants was installed by Aaranyak, a biodiversity conservation organisation in Padumphula area under Sadiya sub-division of Tinsukia district, Assam.
This is part of the organisation’s endeavour to mitigate human elephant conflict (HEC) so as to facilitate coexistence.
Padumphula area inhabited by indigenous communities and mostly farmers has been a hot spot for HEC. The farmers in the area have been unable to secure their crops from depredation by wild elephants every year.
After doing a field study on the HEC problem and its ramification on the local population in the area, Aaranyak has taken the initiative to mitigate the problem in the area by installing the solar fence on the periphery of the vegetable crop field at the village recently.
Around 385 households located in Padumphula, Bacha Gaon No.1, Bacha Gaon No. 2 and Na-Basa Gaon will be benefitted from the solar fence in respect crop security.
The initiative has been taken by Aaranyak in collaboration with British Asian Trust, supported by Darwin Initiative (Biodiversity Challenge Funds).
In this connection the community had been trained by the Aaranyak team to build their capacity to install and maintain the solar fence at the community cultural centre a few months back.
After the training, members were involved in installing the solar fence to protect their vegetable fields with technical guidance and supervision of the team. The installation work was completed on April 5 last, the organisation informed.
