Tamulpur: As part of its ongoing efforts to reduce human-elephant conflict (HEC), biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak, with support from the SBI Foundation (SBIF), has been conducting sensitisation campaigns across Udalguri, Tamulpur, and Baksa districts of Assam. The initiative focuses on promoting coexistence and equipping local communities with practical strategies to mitigate conflict.
The awareness drives educate villagers about HEC dynamics, elephant behaviour, and safe coexistence measures such as the use of solar street lights, LED blinking lights, and solar-powered fences to deter elephants from entering croplands and settlements. Farmers are also encouraged to cultivate less palatable crops to reduce crop damage and income loss.
One such outreach programme was held at Hajwgudi village in Tamulpur district in collaboration with the Kumarikata Range Office, 24 Bn SSB (Bihangapur BoP), and MSKETS NGO, where over 50 community members participated. Another session at Teliyapara village saw around 60 participants, including the formation of a Solar Fence Management Committee to maintain newly installed fences.
The sessions featured Aaranyak’s signature campaign “Gajah Katha”, highlighting long-term HEC mitigation methods. Aaranyak team members including Rabiya Daimari, Abhijit Saikia, Abhilasha Boruah, Bikash Tossa, Manav Nayak, and Pradip Barman led the campaigns, reinforcing the shared mission of fostering coexistence between humans and elephants in Assam’s conflict-prone regions.
