GUWAHATI: In a significant stride towards mitigating the growing human-elephant conflict (HEC) in Assam and the Northeastern region, Assam Minister for Power, Sports & Youth Welfare Nandita Garlosa launched a mobile phone application ‘HaatiApp’ and a comprehensive Solar Fence Manual at an event on Saturday.
Both the App and the manual are initiatives of the Aaranyak, a leading biodiversity conservation organization of the state. The ‘HaatiApp’ and the manual are meant for the mitigation of the raging human-elephant conflict (HEC) in Assam and other parts of the region to facilitate coexistence.
Inaugurating the HaatiApp and the solar fence manual, Power, Sports & Youth Welfare Minister Nandita Garlosa said both these tools would be of immense utility for multi-stakeholders in mitigation of HEC for the sake of coexistence.
Garlosa said that the State Power Department would launch an awareness drive among the grassroots people to prevent the electrocution of wild elephants through the use of illegal power connections.
She further said, “Residents in areas prone to human-elephant conflict often resort to illegal electrification as a desperate measure to protect themselves and their property. Tragically, these measures sometimes result in the electrocution of elephants, animals deeply revered by the people of the state.”
She assured of taking the help of the Power Department to reach out to the residents in human-elephant conflict-prone areas to discourage the use of illegal electric fences, which pose a serious threat to elephants.
The ceremony was graced by a host of dignitaries including Padma Shri Dr Kushal Konwar Sharma, Padma Shri Parbati Baruah, noted ecologist and retired Professor of Zoology in Gauhati University Dr Parimal Chandra Bhattacharjee, Aaranyak’s Secretary General and CEO, Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, among others.
Padma Shri Dr. Kushal Konwar Sharma raised concerns about the illegal use of electricity to deter elephants, which poses a significant risk to both humans and elephants. He requested the state Power Minister to take proactive steps towards the prevention of electrocution deaths of wild elephants in the state due to the use of illegal power connections by ‘miscreants’.
Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar emphasized the urgency of addressing the escalating human-elephant conflict in the region and said HaatiApp is set to serve as an early warning system, alerting villagers about the presence of wild elephants nearby.
“This proactive approach is expected to significantly reduce negative interactions between humans and elephants,” he said adding the App also streamlines the process for HEC-affected individuals to submit ex-gratia claims.
Dr. Bibhuti P. Lahkar, who heads the Elephant Research and Conservation Division (ERCD) of Aaranyak, made an in-depth presentation on the HaatiApp and outlined the broader strategies including habitat conservation, the use of bio-fences, and community engagement as adopted by Aaranyak to complement efforts for mitigation of the HEC.
He highlighted how the App, supported by the SBI Foundation, would complement the efforts of the Forest Department in compensating victims of HEC.
The handbook on solar-powered fences, compiled in Assamese by Aaranyak official Anjan Baruah, has detailed information on the installation, operation, management, and maintenance of these fences—an effective tool for mitigating HEC.
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Supported by the British Asian Trust and Darwin Initiative, this manual is designed for grassroots community members, forest department personnel, and contractor firms involved in solar fence management.
The handbook provides a thorough understanding of solar fence components and their proper usage, including essential “Dos and Don’ts.”
