Assam: Solar fence installed to curb human-wildlife conflict in Raimona National Park
The solar fence is prepared for a formal inauguration and handover to the local community.

Guwahati: In a joint effort aimed at resolving human-wildlife conflict, biodiversity organisations Aaranyak and WWF-India have installed a 10-kilometre-long cost-effective solar fence at Raimona National Park, Assam.

The primary objective of this initiative is to foster harmonious coexistence between the local community and the elephants and other wildlife inhabiting the park, according to a press release from Aaranyak.

This community-managed solar fence, consisting of a single strand, is poised to provide immediate relief from the escalating incidents of human-elephant conflict to approximately 568 households, housing between 2,700 to 3,000 individuals, across 12 villages: Chubas-Dumbazar Dumbazaar, Hazariguri, Nandipur 1, Nandipur 2, Gwajanpur, Lotamari 1, Santipur, Hadanpur, Golaipara, Thakampur, Rupnathpur, and Bathouguri.

The installation of the fence commenced on August 11, and the project was brought to successful completion on August 29. It is now prepared for a formal inauguration and handover to the local community.

Aaranyak, in partnership with local communities, was responsible for the construction of 4.3 km of the 10-km-long solar fence. The efforts of the Aaranyak team, led by Anjan Baruah and comprising Jibon Kumar Chetry and Ripunjoy Kumar Nath, alongside the active participation of community members, were instrumental in the timely completion of this vital conservation project.

Raimona National Park, encompassing an area of 422 square km, is the latest and the sixth national park in Assam. It is divided into four ranges: Eastern Range (Athiabari), Sanfan Range, Central (Kachuagaon), and Western Range (Raimona). This pristine natural reserve was officially designated as a National Park through an Assam Gazette Notification (no. FRW.02/2021/27) on June 8, 2021.

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