Responding to hillside farmers’ plea to protect their fields from frequent wild animal encroachments, the Forest department has finally decided to install solar-powered hanging fences around some of the most vulnerable spots in the district. The first phase of the project covering about 18-km is likely to be a reality within a year.
One the most affected stretches between Poozhithode and Peruvannamuzhi will be covered in the first phase. The site inspection ahead of the installation work has been completed with the support of farmers. An agency under the Kozhikode-based Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS) will execute the work.
According to Forest officials, solar-powered hanging fences have been found to be one of the most effective solutions to counter wild animal menace in upland fields. The fence will be installed on pillars with a height ranging from 15 ft to 20 ft. Steel wires, connected to a power supply point, will be hung from the main line without touching the ground. The wires will be arranged in such a way to facilitate the easy movement of small animals. There are proposals to cover more such affected areas under similar schemes, they add.
Though there has been effort to prevent the entry of wild animals using trenches and traditional solar-powered fences, the methods remain impractical in many disconnected locations. Partly filled trenches and lack of proper maintenance in the case of previously installed power fences too have been playing spoilsport. In the case of hanging fences, there is likely to be a proper annual maintenance contract ensuring uninterrupted protection.
In areas that are not covered under the department’s scheme, local administrators are offering their own special subsidy schemes to encourage farmers to take up the work. Panchayats such as Maruthongara and Koodaranhi have already announced 50% subsidy for those who come up with the voluntary installation projects. Block panchayats such as Koduvally too have initiated separate projects to install solar-powered fences.
