Dhenkanal: Green fences have been erected around 10 wells in Mahidharpur Mundakhaman area of Sadar range under Odapada block in this district. This has been done to prevent elephants from falling into wells.
Elephant menace has been a cause of concern here both for people and forest department personnel. Elephant herds with calves straying into the villages searching for food have become a regular affair. However cases of elephants falling into man-made wells have been on the rise creating problems for forest department personnel.
With an aim to save these pachyderms from falling into wells, the ‘Collective Initiation for Social Solidarity’, an organisation working for the safety of wild animals, has fenced 10 wells with green fence.
The organisation had taken up the issue with the Wildlife Trust of India, providing it with all the details. The Trust then released funds for the erection of the boundary walls. These 10 wells are surrounded by green bushes and thorns giving the boundary walls a natural look.
“Now besides green fences around these 10 wells, there are also signboards with symbols, sensitising people living nearby,” said Honorary Wildlife Warden Bijay Kumar Das.
An awareness meeting was conducted November 18 at Mahidharpur where villagers were told about the benefits of solar and green fencing. It was attended by forest department officials and Bijay Kumar Das. The latter suggested that a rapid response unit comprising ten villagers be formed to keep a watch on these fenced wells to which the villagers unanimously agreed.
The forest department and villagers are optimistic that such fencing would go a long way in protecting the elephants.
PNN