Kannur (Kerala), Jan 31 (PTI) As instances of wild elephants foraying into inhabited areas increase across Kerala, the district panchayat of Kannur -- where attacks by pachyderms are on a rise -- has decided to install hanging solar energy fences in various villages bordering forest areas.
The decision has been taken as farmlands were being destroyed and people were apprehending a threat to their lives due to wild elephants, the Kannur district administration said in a release.
The district panchayat has decided to install 41 km of hanging solar fencing in Payyavoor, Udayagiri, Ulikkal and Eruvessi gram panchayats of Kannur.
In the first phase of the project, 11 km of solar fencing has been installed in Payyavoor in collaboration with the Forest department at a cost of Rs 80 lakh which was borne by the district, gram and block panchayats, the release said.
In the same manner, 11 km of hanging solar fencing in Udayagiri, 14.5 km in Ulikkal and 4.5 km in Eruvessi would also be installed at costs of Rs 70 lakh, Rs 45 lakh and Rs 43.3 lakh, respectively, it said. PTI HMP SS SS