File picture of solar fencing installed in Bhitarkanika to ward off intrusion of wild boar into human habitations

Paradip, Nov. 4: The state forest department has decided to install steel net barricades to stop intrusion of wild boars and spotted deer into human settlements in the vicinity of Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary.

The officials decided to put an end to intrusion by wild animals after a mob burnt the Gahirmatha forest range office on October 18 after a boar killed a local resident.

The wild boar corridors located in the vicinity of village would be brought within barriers in order to stop straying of the animals into thickly populated villages.

Net barricades made of galvanised steel will be used.

“The steel nets will be able to cope with the saline climate and they will also be durable,” said Kedar Kumar Swain, divisional forest officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) forest division.

The scheme will be implemented in a phase-wise manner. Two forest blocks of Gupti and Sansarpatia have been identified as boar-infested zones where intrusions by animals are pronounced. A six-kilometre stretch here is being fenced with galvanised steel barricades.

The forest department will use Rs 20 lakh from the grants of 13th Finance Commission to erect the barricade. Tender bidding for the project has been invited and it will be commissioned very shortly, he added.

Earlier the department had installed 5km shock-inducing solar-powered fencing from Talchua village to Rangani to ward off animals from straying into villages. The experiment has yielded limited success because of technical snags in solar-powered implements.

“The menace unleashed by wild boars has assumed alarming proportions during the crop-cutting season in past few years. Boars were straying into villages close to the sanctuary and were wreaking havoc,” said divisional forest officer S. Mahapatra.