Odisha comes up with hanging solar fence to protect elephants; how does it work & other details

Odisha comes up with hanging solar fence to protect elephants

Photo : Mirror Now Digital

Bhubaneswar/Joda (Keonjhar): The Odisha government has come up with concrete measures to prevent elephant deaths after being run over by trains. The state forest department has now opted for the installation of hanging solar fencing along railway tracks passing through elephant corridors to deter wild pachyderms from venturing near railway lines and highways. The move came after the tragic deaths of a female elephant and two elephant calves after being run over by a train at Joda In Keonjhar on May 19, 2022. The incident happened when a 22-member elephant herd was crossing the railway track. In a first in the State, Keonjhar DFO Dhanraj Hanuman and Joda Block chairman inaugurated the 750-meter-long hanging solar fence over the railway track between Krech hutting and Behera hutting in the Joda area.

“Hanging Solar fencing- a pilot project to prevent elephants entering on railway track and on busy national highway between Behera and Crech hutting, Joda,” tweeted the Keonjhar DFO.

“Hanging Solar fencing” a pilot project to prevent elephant entering on railway track and on busy national highway… t.co/L2uZqmVLnC

— ANI (@ANI) Oct 8, 2022

The 10,000-volt hanging solar fencing will help keep away elephants and other animals from venturing across the railway tracks in the region. However, the shock from the fence is not fatal.

Related News

BJP releases list of candidates for upcoming Assembly by-elections in Bihar and Odisha

“It is not just solar but hanging solar fence. This has been installed in Odisha for the first time. There will be three millisecond pulses and no current in the wires. Once the elephants come in contact with the fence, elephants will receive a shock and won’t try to cross the rail track after one or two attempts. This will reduce accidents to a great extent,” hoped Keonjhar DFO Dhanraj Hanuman.

Joda Block Chairman said, “In several elephant movement zones, the forest department has created trenches near rail tracks to prevent jumbos from venturing on the railway lines. But, it has not yielded much fruitful results and elephants often cross the trenches due to which mishaps occur. Therefore, the forest department has installed solar fencing which will prevent deaths of elephants and also ensure the safety of humans.”

What is solar fence?

Solar fencing is a modernized and unconventional method that is one of the best options for providing security as the technique is both effective and efficient. A solar fence works like an electric fence which delivers a brief yet strong shock whenever human beings or animals come in contact with the fence. However, the shock is not fatal.

Related News

Odisha: Girls observe ‘Kumar Purnima’ to get handsome husband like Lord Kartikeya

How does hanging solar fencing work?

The working of a solar fencing system starts when the solar module generates direct current (DC) from sunlight which is used to charge the system’s battery. The system’s battery can generally last for as long as 24 hours in a day depending on sunlight hours and capacity, according to a report in The Economic Times.

The output of the charged battery reaches the controller or fencer or charger or energizer. When powered, the energizer produces a brief yet strong voltage. The main function of the energizer is to produce nearly 8000 volts of pulses that are sharp and short-lived. These pulses are passed through the wires of the fencing system at a rate of around 1 pulse every 1-1.5 seconds with every pulse lasting for nearly 3 ms, which ensures that no physical harm is caused to anyone who attempts to come in contact with the solar fence.

HM Amit Shah On A Two-Day Bihar Visit; Launches Ferocious Attack On The JDU and RJD | Political News