Aaranyak installs solar street lights in 16 Human-Elephant Conflict hit villages in Assam, Meghalaya

ANI March 30, 2025 118 views

Aaranyak has installed 25 solar streetlights across 16 villages in Assam and Meghalaya to mitigate human-elephant conflicts. The lights help villagers detect elephants at night, allowing safer retreats. The initiative spans Goalpara and West Garo Hills, involving local communities and forest departments. This effort supports long-term coexistence strategies in conflict-prone border areas.

"Solar streetlights help villagers spot wild elephants at night, ensuring safer retreats." – Aaranyak
Guwahati, March 30: As part of its sustained community-centric efforts for mitigation of Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) and facilitating coexistence in HEC-affected areas, premier biodiversity conservation organization Aaranyak has recently installed 25 solar street lights (SSL) in certain HEC hotspots in Goalpara district of Assam and West Garo Hills (WGH) district of Meghalaya.

Key Points

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Solar lights installed in 13 Goalpara villages and 3 Meghalaya hotspots

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Aims to reduce human-elephant conflict risks

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Community-driven initiative with forest department support

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Part of long-term coexistence efforts in Assam-Meghalaya border areas

These solar streetlights are expected to help villagers residing in HEC hotspots in Goalpara and WGH landscapes to sight wild elephants at night from a safe distance so that they can either avoid coming too close to these animals or retreat to safer places in time.

Installation of solar street lights with cooperation from the HEC-affected communities has been one of the measures taken by Aaranyak in the contiguous Goalpara-WGH landscape over the last few years for mitigation of the conflict.

The HEC-affected landscape is spread across Assam-Meghalaya state boundary in the geographical area.

Twenty-five solar street lights were installed at various HEC-affected villages in the landscape with active community cooperation.

Out of these 20 solar street lights were installed in 13 villages located in Goalpara district of Assam. The beneficiary villages in the district are Jalapara (2 SSL), Belpara (1 SSL), Pachim Matia (2 SSL) under Ranjuli Forest Range; Dahikata (2 SSL), Dakurbhita (1 SSL), Rangagarha (2 SSL), Mamakata (2 SSL), Amtola (2 SSL), Nichinta (1 SSL) under Goalpara Sadar Forest Range; Sapleng (1 SSL) under Krishnai Forest Range; Thahurbilla (1 SSL), Borjhora (1 SSL), Dhamor (2 SSL) under Lakhipur Forest Range.

Five more solar street lights were installed with support from Darwin Initiative in three villages - two SSL at Khokapara (Lahapara), two SSL at Chisikgre (Belguri) and one SSL at Photamati under Holaidonga Forest Range of West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya.

It may be mentioned that Aaranyak in partnership with British Asian Trust and the Goalpara Forest Division has been working with local communities and other stakeholders to mitigate HEC and promote coexistence in the Garo Hills-Goalpara landscape in the region.

Tags:
Aaranyak Human-Elephant Conflict Assam Meghalaya Solar streetlights Wildlife conservation Goalpara West Garo Hills
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