Mysuru: Installation of hanging solar fence by Forest Department to prevent wild elephant menace in the fringe villages of Saragur Forest Range in the district has been yielding good results and proving successful.

The Department has taken up the installation of stainless hanging solar fencing in a big scale in the forest areas that borders villages. As farmers and villagers residing near Nugu Dam backwaters and Chikkadevammanabetta areas were severely affected by jumbo menace, the Department decided to install hanging solar fence on a pilot basis in various parts of Saragur Forest Range.

The Department has installed 15 to 20-feet high pillars every 15 feet from where stainless steel wires hang. The wires that dangle from these pillars do not touch the ground level. Solar power is passed on to the wires and when an elephant comes in contact with the wires, it gets mild shocks that do not pose any danger to its life.

Such fences are laid across the forest fringes to prevent entry of elephants from the woods. Such fencing has proven very effective. Speaking to Star of Mysore, Saragur Range Forest Officer Mohsin Basha said that solar fencing designed to fight elephant menace, is proving extremely beneficial in the region.      

The department had given permission to take up this kind of fencing in 20-kilometre range of forest region. Of this, work on six kilometres has been completed from Nugu Dam till Halegidlu village. The remaining 14-kilometre works will be completed by the end of January, he said.

A fresh proposal to cover another 10 kilometres has been submitted to the higher officials and this is expected to be sanctioned in the next budget allocation. Saragur Forest Range is witnessing the highest number of jumbos straying out of forest destroying crops, attacking goats, sheep and injuring people.

However, the installation of solar hanging fence would reduce such complaints. The government has been distributing lakhs of rupees compensation for crop loss and property damaged by wild elephants, he said. “The same technique is being adopted in Sri Lanka and many areas and it has provided good results,” he added.

The solar fencing is slightly different from the way it is done at other places. This mild shock acts as a repellent for the intruding animal and it leaves the place as soon as it recovers. “It is non-lethal, so there are no chances of life loss.” At present, the method has been followed in small patches. Mysuru-based Nature Fence has bagged the contract. One kilometre of fencing costs Rs.3.5 lakh, he added.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Santhosh of Nature Fence said that the hanging solar fencing is a new concept. “Earlier the fences touched the ground and gradually it used to either lose efficiency due to wild growth under the fence or could be easily destroyed by elephants by dropping a dry wooden log on it. This hanging fence is efficient and as it does not touch the ground, it will not be easy for animals to destroy or bypass them,” he said. “The poles too will have power supply and we are using twin batteries for power supply and as back up. The fencing provides a mild shock and in no way does it harm the animals. It has been designed as per the Bureau of Indian Standards — the National Standards Body of India,” Santhosh said.  

Mohsin Basha said the Department was planning to adopt similar fencing in other areas too. “We saw its efficiency and we will plan to extend it to other areas. We were finding it difficult to drive away elephant herds that were creating trouble along the fringes of Saragur. However, villagers told us that they had seen jumbos returning to forest after coming near the hanging solar fence,” he added.

The Department had installed solar fences and had dug up elephant trenches to prevent elephants from entering villages. It had also installed ‘spiked pillars’ to keep elephants and other wild animals at bay. But the jumbos had outwitted the department and had started to cross the hurdles.

Spiked pillars have been installed near villages and places where trenches could not be dug. Installation of spiked pillars have also received good response and successfully prevented other wild animals from straying into the villages.  

‘Increase vegetation in forest’  

Various green lovers, wildlife experts and villagers have urged the government to increase vegetation and grow jumbo-friendly bamboo trees, vegetables and fruits plant instead of growing teak and other commercially valuable plants in the forests.  

Due to shortage of food and water inside the forests, elephants stray into fields, feed on crops and attack farmers. Government should grow animal-friendly trees and plants besides ensure drinking water facility in the forests to prevent elephants and other wild animals crossing out of forest. Such measures would help find permanent solution instead of wasting government funds for fencing the forests, they argue.

Remove nail barriers

Wildlife experts have also suggested the government to remove the spiked pillars or nail barriers installed to prevent jumbo menace in the forests of Nagarahole Project Tiger Division. The Supreme Court had slammed forest officials for installing concrete walls studded with nails as a barrier to stop wild elephants from venturing outside forests in the forest regions of Veeranahosahalli, Metikuppe, Antharasanthe and Saragur Forest Range in Nagarahole, Bandipur National Park and other forests in the State.

Wildlife experts said that such nails harmed wild animals when they get out of the forest areas. As per official reports, only 30 per cent of nail barriers were removed by the department and the remaining are yet to be removed.

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