RANCHI: Installed on the periphery of villages located near elephant corridor, solar lights are helping to keep tuskers away from human habitations in Jharkhand.
Man-elephant conflict claimed about 80 human lives almost every year in last one decade in the state. According to the data provided by forest officials, there are around 600 elephants that move in herds of about 10-18 members.
Over 450 solar lights are installed in forest areas in Jamshedpur alone during last two-three years.
“The solar lights have been installed in three forest divisions in Jamshedpur on the spots decided by forest officials for keeping elephants away so that they could be prevented from entering into the villages,” said Jharkhand Renewable Energy Development Authority (JREDA) Project Director Arvind Kumar. “Similarly, solar lights were installed in other districts such as Simdega, Jamshedpur, Bokaro, and Deoghar.”
Forest officials claim the high-intensity lights keep elephants away and add that these solar lights have been provided to at least 50 villages in Jamshedpur alone.
“As high-intensity dazzling lights affect the vision of the elephants, they tend to keep away from the villages. To keep them away from villages, such lights are installed along elephant trails that lead to some of the villages. It has actually proved effective in bringing down the loss of life and property,” said DFO, Jamshedpur, Abhishek Kumar.