Guwahati, September 19: Around 35 frontline forest staff deployed in different Forest Ranges under Nagaon Forest Division in Assam and ten villagers from various human-elephant conflict (HEC) affected villages of Nagaon district participated in a training programme on installation, operation and management of low-cost solar-powered fence that is a proven tool for short-term mitigation of the HEC and facilitation of coexistence.
The training was conducted by experts from premier biodiversity conservation non-profit Aaranyak ( www.aaranyak.org ) in collaboration with Nagoan Forest Division at the Extension Training Centre at Amoni in Nagaon. Salna Forest Range Officer Bibhuti Majumdar took lead in organizing the training programme on September 7 last.
Aaranyak’s expert on solar fence, Anjan Baruah conducted the training on various aspects of solar-powered fence and its utilization for HEC mitigation while senior Aaranyak official Hiten Kumar Baishya interacted with the participants on effective HEC management.
This training was conducted with support from US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and as part of Aaranyak’s sustained effort for facilitating human-elephant coexistence.
The participant, through this interactive training session, learnt about the principles and the process of solar fence installation. Aaranyak’s expert Baruah demonstrated operation of machinery and various solar fence accessories to the participants while explaining elaborately on the process of installation, operation and management of such a low- cost solar fence that goes a long way in providing succour to the community affected by the HEC.
An assessment was conducted after the training programme to understand the level of knowledge acquired by the participants in respect of solar fence and its use in mitigation of the HEC. The participants during the assessment process shared what they had learnt during the training programme.
They appreciated Aaranyak for conducting such a training on low-cost solar-powered fence to enable the forest department staff and community members to operate and manage such a fence to facilitate coexistence with wild elephants in various parts of the district.
Aaranyak, is a Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (SIRO), recognised by the DSIR, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India and is Registered under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860. The NGO has been engaged in research-based and community-driven biodiversity conservation in Assam and parts of Northeast India since 1989.
