Local protection: Manas National Park

Guwahati, June 27: The residents of 12 villages in Manas have pledged to guard an 8km stretch of solar-powered electric fence from Madulijhar to Katajhar in the Bansbari range of the national park to stop straying of animals into human habitat.

A decision to erect the fence was taken last year when a translocated rhino strayed away, giving forest officials a tough time to track it down.

The villagers’ decision to guard the stretch, the most vulnerable one, aims at easing the forest department’s task to protect the fence.

A forest official said the villagers would be benefited too. Solar-powered electric fencing along the stretch — where agriculture is the principal source of livelihood — will check destruction of crops by rhinos, elephants and wild buffaloes that stray into human habitat and lead to man-animal conflicts.

“There is not much scope for employment in these areas and agriculture is an important source of livelihood,” the official said.

Equipment supplied by Suraksha, a Bangalore-based firm, reached yesterday and work will start soon.

Funds are being provided by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), International Rhino Foundation under the India Rhino Vision 2020 programme and the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

“A lot depends on the weather. If everything goes right, fencing should be completed in a month.”

The official said several meetings had been held with villagers who agreed to protect the stretch as their “own property”. He said community participation was high.

There was also a lot of community support when the translocated rhino had strayed out. Many villages joined the hunt to help the forest authorities bring it back. The World Heritage Committee under Unesco has appreciated their contribution.