The Terai central forest division's high-tech solar fencing plan aimed at checking man-animal conflicts and protecting standing crops from the wild animals has taken a back seat for want of requisite fund.
Man-made poaching methods by poachers and laying open electric wires along the boundaries of fields to protect crops have rather become death traps for wild animals like elephant as have been reported time to time from different parts of Uttarakhand. Death of an elephant at Ramnagar forest division's Fatehpur range a few days ago due to electric current only gives that impression.
But the State forest department seems to be little worried about such incidents. The fact is that under its solar fencing programme, the Terai- central forest division had decided to do solar fencing in about 27 km area and more importantly, as the officials concerned informed, solar fencing has already been done in some limited area. But the same plan has not been carried forward on account of fund constraints, added the officials concerned of the Terai central forest division.
A proposal has already been submitted to the Government in this regard. But we have not received any fund in this regard so far. Therefore, the solar fencing work has not yet been started for nearly two years, they added. The Terai-central forest division has tied up with the Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency (UREDA) to carry out this solar fencing exercise in its area.
The interesting fact is that initially the people including the farmers of this area opposed the idea of guarding the human habitations and crop fields with the help of solar fencing. Now after seeing the positive results of soar fencing done in a limited area of the Terai- central forest division earlier, they are now welcoming the installation of solar fencing, maintained the forest officials concerned of the Terai-cntral forest division.
But for want of requisite funds, the officials concerned of the Terai-central forest division further said, the solar fencing works have not been carried forward. Therefore, it is worth mention here that as the State Government or the State forest department has not been able to take appropriate measures to discourage wild animals from encroaching upon human habitations and crop fields, incidents man animal conflicts and damage to standing crops have only gone up in this areas in recent years.
It is to note that with huge agricultural potential, this Terai belt of Uttarakhand is also known for rich natural resources including flora and fauna. But rapid urbanisation of this region of late has had an adverse impact on these resources including green fodder resulting in movements of the wild animals towards human habitations for green fodder.