Guwahati: Biodiversity conservation organizations, Aaranyak and WWF-India, have joined forces to tackle the growing issue of human-wildlife conflict (HWC), particularly the pressing concern of human-elephant conflict (HEC), by installing a remarkable 10 km-long low-cost solar fence in the fringes of the Central Range (Kachugaon) of Raimona National Park in Assam. This initiative aims to facilitate coexistence between humans and wildlife, offering immediate relief to the local community.
The community-managed single-strand solar fence is expected to alleviate the ever-increasing incidents of HEC for approximately 568 households, which translates to a population of 2700-3000 people distributed across 12 villages and Chubas - Dumbazar Dumbazaar, Hazariguri, Nandipur 1, Nandipur 2, Gwajanpur, Lotamari 1, Santipur, Hadanpur, Golaipara, Thakampur, Rupnathpur, and Bathouguri.
The installation of this innovative fence project commenced on August 11th and was successfully completed by August 29th. It is now ready for formal inauguration and handover to the local community.
Out of the 10 km solar fence, Aaranyak played a pivotal role in constructing 4.3 km, with active participation from the local communities. The Aaranyak team, led by Anjan Baruah and comprising dedicated individuals such as Jibon Kumar Chetry and Ripunjoy Kumar Nath, worked alongside community members to accomplish the fence installation work.
Raimona National Park, encompassing an area of 422 square kilometers, is the youngest and the sixth national park in Assam. It consists of four ranges, namely the Eastern Range (Athiabari), Sanfan Range, Central (Kachuagaon), and Western Range (Raimona). It achieved national park status through an Assam Gazette Notification no. FRW.02/2021/27 dated June 8, 2021.
The collaborative effort of Aaranyak and WWF-India signifies a significant step towards mitigating HEC and fostering harmonious coexistence between wildlife and local communities in the region.
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