Hanging solar wire fence to save elephants in Odisha

KEONJHAR: To curb elephant deaths in rail accidents, the Keonjhar forest division has begun the installation of hanging solar wire fences on a pilot basis in the Joda area of the district. The innovative project was initiated by Keonjhar divisional forest officer (DFO) HD Dhanraj.

Sources said, the Joda section of the Champua range of the district was causing a disturbance in the movement of tuskers on an everyday basis. The elephants often went near the railway lines in search of food and met with accidents. 

On May 19, a female elephant and two calves died after being hit by a goods train in the Joda forest section. This incident had brought both the forest department and the Railways face to face after which the former decided to round the area off for safety.

A 750 metre solar wire fence was put on both sides of the railway line from Creche hutting to Behera hutting of Joda. A solar power plant will produce an electric charge for three milliseconds through the fences whenever any animal comes in contact with it. However, there will be no loss of lives due to the electric shock. It will be used only to prevent pachyderms and other animals from coming near the railway lines.

The project was inaugurated in presence of Joda block chairman Kalatar Naik and Municipality chairperson Dr Jagdish Prasad Sahu among others.