Guwahati: “We villagers will work hard together under your guidance to maintain and protect this solar-powered fence that holds promise to change our lives and livelihoods for the better amid the constant fear from wild elephants roaming around our area.”
This was how an elderly woman, Jamini Boro, of far-flung human-elephant conflict (HEC)-affected Chaplengkata village under Krishnai Forest Range in Goalpara district of Assam, expressed her relief during a public meeting held for the inauguration and formal handover of a solar-powered fence to the village’s solar fence management committee.
A former member of the village panchayat, Boro expressed gratitude to the Assam Forest Department and premier biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak for their efforts in mitigating the persistent HEC that has severely impacted the lives of villagers in the area, located close to the Assam-Meghalaya boundary.
A two-kilometer solar-powered fence was inaugurated by the Range Forest Officer of Krishnai Forest Range, Moniruddin Sheikh, at Chaplengkata village, which comprises 43 households, mostly belonging to the Bodo tribe.
The solar fence was installed by Aaranyak’s specialised team led by senior official Anjan Baruah, with support and collaboration from the Goalpara Forest Division of the Assam Forest Department. The installation aimed at mitigating HEC and facilitating coexistence between humans and elephants.
Baruah spearheaded the installation of the solar fence with active cooperation from the community and Forest Department staff. The fence was formally handed over to the local community’s Solar Fence Management Committee at a meeting held at No.152 Chapleng Damal L.P. School in the presence of the Range Forest Officer, village headman, community members, and committee representatives.
Community leader Amrit Boro expressed hope that the solar fence would change the villagers’ lives for the better and pledged, on behalf of the community, to maintain it properly to ensure it remains effective in deterring wild elephant herds. The village had recently witnessed a fatal incident where a resident was trampled by elephants.
Aaranyak’s solar fence expert Anjan Baruah was assisted by field staff Ripunjay Nath and Rohit Nath in carrying out groundwork, training villagers, and installing the fence.
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