BHUBANESWAR: What was believed to be a non-lethal solution to bring down man-animal conflict is now turning against the wildlife. Solar fencing, regarded as a safe deterrent against depredation, has emerged as a silent killer for wild animals, elephants in particular, in forest fringe areas of Odisha.
The photovoltaic fencing, promoted as one of the most humane methods to prevent wild animals from straying into crop fields, orchards and human settlements, has claimed lives of six elephants in a span of one-and-a-half-month. Most of the fatalities have been reported in Angul circle which includes Dhenkanal and Satkosia wildlife divisions, one of the most intense human-elephant conflict zones of the country.
The first case of elephant electrocution was reported in Bantala range of Angul forest division on May 31 when a farmer allegedly used direct current to charge the fences, leading to instant death of an elephant in his crop field. On June 8, another elephant died after a farmer from Dangpal forest area of Chhendipada charged the green fences directly through high-power batteries. Subsequently, three more elephant deaths have been reported from Angul, Dhenkanal and Satkosia regions between June 8 and July 15.
On July 12, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi intervened and ordered a high-level probe after a female elephant died after coming in contact with solar fences in Naktideul area of Rairakhol forest division in Sambalpur district. It apparently occurred due to illegal electric hooking.
The distressing pattern has raised serious concerns over the safety of the green fencing system near forests and wildlife corridors.
Conflict hotspot
Angul forest circle happens to be the most densely populated region of elephants in the state. As per state Forest department’s 2024 Census data, at least 779 elephants, 37 per cent of state’s total population, inhabit the region.
However, human settlements surrounding these forest habitats also makes Angul circle one of the worst conflict- prone regions in the country. In the face of rising conflict, to save crops, houses and orchards, farmers have increasingly started using solar fences. This is where things have gone wrong.
Unable to pay for regular maintenance of solar fences, the users often charge these barriers with direct current, turning them into a lethal trap for the elephants which have developed a taste for paddy, vegetables as well as fruits, mangoes in particular.
Several clusters of solar fencing networks exist in Angul, Hindol, Dhenkanal Sadar and Bantala-Satkosia stretches where the users tend to draw low tension (LT) lines to charge the fences. The modification is often done secretly.
“There is a misconception among users that energising the fences from a low tension (LT) line will not harm elephants,” said a forest officer. It has its downside. Poachers as well as villagers see it as an opportunity and energise the fences deliberately to trap wild boars to consume their meat. However, it comes at a great cost – lives of elephants.
Monitoring hurdles
Forest department sources said more than 1,500 solar fences have already been installed in Angul and Dhenkanal divisions in the recent years as farmhouses, fruit orchards and vegetable farms have flourished. Though property owners are supposed to give undertakings citing not to misuse the solar-powered fencing system, only about 500 out of 800-odd users in Angul division have complied with the same, that too after a continuous pursuance from the forest frontline staff. The rest are either unaware or reluctant to submit it, sources point out.
Following the death of elephants in charged solar-fences in Dhenkanal during 2021, sources said, the division collected about 600 undertakings from land owners, farmers, farmhouse owners, small factories and other users.
There are problems of logistics for forest officials for a region so vast. An officer from Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary admitted that monitoring such installations has been a major challenge considering the limited manpower and vastness of the area the field staff are required to cover. Besides, lack of legal support that authorises forest officials to regulate installation of such fences in the forest divisions is another bottleneck.
Ranjit Patnaik, project in-charge of SNEHA which works on elephant conservation in the region, said in absence of regulation mechanism, forest officials find it difficult to get details and control over solar fences installed in their jurisdictions. “Strong regulations and a policy are needed to check misuse of solar fences in conflict-prone areas,” he said.
Other side of the story
A farmer from Angul’s Bantala area, who wished not to be named, said poor compensation for crop damage is a key reason for growing use of solar fences in the region. Many farmers, investing heavily in cash crops in the area, do not want to take the risk in the absence of proper financial support. “The use of solar fences has grown in the area in recent years to secure cash crops, vegetable fields, gardens, orchards, poultry farms and manufacturing units from elephant raids,” he said.
The state government increased the ex gratia for death caused by wild animal attack recently but made no change to the compassionate grant handed out to farmers for crop damage. The financial assistance of Rs 20,000 for loss to paddy and cereal crops, Rs 25,000 for cash crops per acre, announced in 2023, remain unchanged.
Wildlife officials, grudgingly, admit that financial compensation to farmers for crop loss is less compared to their investment, especially in cash crops.
The users point out that the government encourages installation of these fences but extends little support for maintenance which is why misuse has multiplied over a period of time.
Patnaik said in many cases, users fail to go for ISI-certified products. Use of cheaper and low-quality energisers and batteries not only decrease efficiency but also generate potentially unreliable output, posing risk for wild animals as well as humans. This needs to be monitored, he said.
Call for strong regulations
Former member secretary of National Tiger Conservation Authority Anup Kumar Nayak, however, termed such acts a blatant violation of both wildlife protection laws and electrical safety norms. Strict enforcement and regulation is needed to prevent such illegal practices and curb deaths of elephants, he said.
“Patrolling during night should be conducted regularly to check misuse of solar fences and those found responsible must be awarded strong punishment,” Nayak said. He also pitched in for adequate compassionate grants for crop damage and depredation. Greater sensitisation can help, he opined.
PCCF (wildlife)-cum-chief wildlife warden Prem Kumar Jha said, solar fences have helped prevent conflict in the region but admits misuse has sparked a concern. “We will initiate strong action against those indulging in such practices,” he said.
Divisional forest officer (DFO) of Angul Nitish Kumar said users in such cases are booked under Wildlife Protection Act as well as Electricity Act. “We have also intensified drives for users’ undertaking and their sensitisation to prevent misuse of the fences,” he said.
Dhenkanal DFO Sumit Kumar Kar said joint patrolling with staff of the power distribution company has been intensified. “We have also equipped field staff with helmet-mounted contactless voltage detectors to check illegal hooking or if AC current is used in the fences,” he added.
Deadly fences
Six elephants killed in Odisha in one-and-a-half- months
On July 12, CM Mohan Charan Majhi intervened and ordered a probe after a female elephant died in Naktideul area
Over 1,500 fences installed in Angul and Dhenkanal divisions of Angul circle
Lack of legal backup prevents forest authorities from regulating installation of solar fences
Strong regulation, patrolling, better compensation and stern action is key