Guwahati, June 9: In response to the ongoing challenges of human-elephant conflict (HEC), premier biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak, with support from the SBI Foundation, has successfully installed altogether 13-kilometer solar-powered fencing in two high-conflict regions covering the villages of Modahi Subba, Uttarkuchi, Amguri, Diyapara, Odalguri, Bhujel Subba, Silbari, Uttar Bijgaon, and Aliguri in Baksa district of Assam, and No.1 Bholatar, No.3 Bholatar, and Neuli in Udalguri district of Assam.
The solar fencing in those Udalguri district villages spans approximately 6 kilometers, providing protection to around 160 households and 861 residents. In Baksa district, the installation spread across 7 kilometres, safeguarding around 370 households and a community of 1580 people.
Aaranyak had installed such solar fences in several others villages of these two districts in the year 2023.
It may be noted that these solar-powered fences are non-lethal, specifically designed not to harm elephants, and to act as a safe deterrent, thereby protecting human lives, property, and crops from elephant depredation. The installations help reduce the frequency of elephant intrusions, ensure food security for villagers, and foster an atmosphere of peaceful human-elephant coexistence.
The sustainability and long-term effectiveness of this intervention depend mainly on active community participation. Hence, to ensure this, Fencing Management Committees comprising local residents have been formed at both locations. These members were trained by Aaranyak’s expert and Assistant Manager Anjan Baruah, equipping them with the necessary skills for installation, upkeep, and regular monitoring of the solar fencing system.
The installation works were carried out by Aaranyak’s team comprising Dibakar Nayak, Jiban Kumar Chetri, Bikash Tossa, Jaugasar Basumatary, Mondeep Basumatary, and Abhijit Saikia, under the technical supervision of Anjan Baruah.
Human-elephant conflict continues to be one of the most critical conservation and community safety concerns in the districts of Baksa and Udalguri, Assam. Repeated incidents of crop-raiding and property damage by wild elephants have severely impacted rural livelihoods and posed serious threats to human safety. In turn, these tensions often lead to retaliatory actions by affected communities, putting the lives of elephants at significant risk.