Assam: Solar powered LED lights installed to facilitate human-elephant coexistence

Guwahati, April 5: In a bid to facilitate the coexistence of humans and elephants in several districts of Assam, premier biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak has started installing LED lights in human-elephant conflict (HEC) hotspot areas to mitigate the raging conflict and save lives and property.

As per the initiative, solar-operated standalone blinking LED light is used to deter the wild elephants from crop raiding and entering human settlements. This device is customised with two LEDs powered by an in-built lithium-ion battery, which is charged by a top-mounted solar panel.

The LEDs blink at regular intervals, like flashing lights, creating the illusion of human presence and deterring the elephants without any physical harm to them. This procedure reduces negative human-elephant interactions and facilitates coexistence.

In a press statement, the organisation mentioned that it aims to install 40 LED lights as an elephant deterrent in different areas of Udalguri, Baksa and Tamulpur districts in the first part of the initiative supported by SBI Foundation.

Already, 10 such solar-powered LED lights were installed in No.1 Garuajhar and Uttar Garuajhar villages, which are located on the banks of the Nonai River under Bhergaon block of Udalguri district, on 1st and 2nd April’ 2024.

Standalone lights were installed at ten different locations on the bank of the Nonai River in both villages. The LED lights were installed around 200 metres apart using eight-feet high bamboo poles and an iron mount to protect the paddy fields and dwellings.

Around 500 families will be benefitting from the effectiveness of the LED lights from wild elephants, the organisation said.

The river Nonai is a path along which elephants move to and fro up-stream and down-stream. There are some tracks that used to divert them to enter villages and damage crops near the riverside and inside the village as well. So, those particular points were identified in a joint survey of Aaranyak staff and the local community for the installation of LED lights.

Seeing the blinking solar-powered LEDs from a certain distance at night, the elephants feel a human presence and move away from that place, instead of entering the village.

The local community was involved during the installation and they also took responsibility for the safety of the LED lights.

Previously, Aaranyak had installed five LED elephant deterrent lights in Hastinapur village under Chawlkara block in Baksa district in the month of October’2023 out of the proposed forty LED lights. As per planning, the rest of the LED lights will be installed in No 1, 2 and 3 Bholater under Bhergaon.

As on date, Aaranyak has plan to install LEDs in No. 1 and No. 2 Bholatar in Udalguri District located nearby the Samrang river, Hedayetpur and some part of Hastinapur located near Diring river in Baksa district and No.2 Dongargaon in Tamulpur district.