The six-kilometre solar fencing, put in place to fend off elephants in Tashichhoeling Gewog in Samtse, has proved to be ineffective. The fencing, which cost Nu.2.5 MN, was removed five months ago.
The Divisional Range Office said there was no ownership from people. No regular maintenance has been carried out, which has rendered the Solar Fencing ineffective.
People in the Gewog also gave the officials their consent to pull out the fencing. “The solar fencing was not effective. Wild Elephants would still come and destroy everything here,” said one of the villagers, Gobin Chettri.
Another villager, Rudra Prasad said solar fencing it wasn’t a complete solution. “At night, when it is cold, the solar fencing didn’t work effectively. The small electric current that passes through the lines doesn’t scare the giant animal like elephants.”
In absence of solar fencing, people are back to using indigenous methods to keep elephants away.
Deoki Gurung, who is also from Tashichhoeling Gewog, said they burn a piece of cloth with kerosene. “And sometimes we use a big torch to chase them away.”
Tashichhoeling Gewog is among the places that sees the highest Human-Wildlife conflict incidences in the country. Apart from damage to crop and properties, it also sees human casualty.
