On this World Elephant Day, HaatiApp unveiled in Assam for human-elephant conflict mitigation

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 11, 2024

In a significant stride towards mitigating the growing human-elephant conflict (HEC) in Assam and the rest of Northeast, Assam power minister Nandita Gorlosa unveiled a mobile phone application ‘HaatiApp’ and a comprehensive Solar Fence Manual (in Assamese language) at an event held here on Saturday night.

The mobile app was developed by the premier biodiversity organisation Aaranyak.

Both the App and the manual are meant for mitigation of the raging human elephant conflict (HEC) in Assam and other parts of the region to facilitate coexistence.

In her speech, Gorlosa said both these tools would be of immense utility for multi-stakeholders in mitigation of HEC for the sake of coexistence.

Gorlosa said that the state power department would  launch an awareness drive among the grassroot people to prevent electrocution of wild elephants through use of illegal power connections.

She further said that common people in some of the HEC hotspots in the state sometimes out of fear of being attacked by wild elephants resort to use illegal electric  power connections against wild elephants that sometimes lead to electrocution of the giant animal which is usually revered by the people of the state.

She assured to take steps from the power department to reach out to common people of those HEC-affected areas  to raise awareness against use of such illegal electric connections against wild elephants.

The ceremony was graced by a host of dignitaries including  Padma Shri Dr Kushal Konwar Sarma, Padma Shri Parbati Baruah, noted ecologist and retired Professor of Zoology in Gauhati University Dr Parimal Chandra Bhattacharjee, Aaranyak’s secretary general and CEO, Dr Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, senior conservation scientist Dr Bibhuti Prasad Lahkar and other dignitaries from various walks of life.

In his opening remarks, Dr Bibhab Kumar Talukdar emphasized the urgency of addressing the escalating human-elephant conflict in the region and said HaatiApp is set to serve as an early warning system, alerting villagers about wild elephants nearby. “This proactive approach is expected to reduce negative interactions between humans and elephants significantly.,” he said adding the App also streamlines the process for HEC-affected individuals to submit ex-gratia claims.

Dr Bibhuti P. Lahkar who heads the Elephant Research and Conservation Division (ERCD) of Aaranyak, made an in-depth presentation on the HaatiApp and outlined the broader strategies including habitat conservation, the use of bio-fences, and community engagement as adopted by Aaranyak to complement efforts for mitigation of the HEC.

The handbook on solar-powered fences, compiled in Assamese by Aaranyak official Anjan Baruah, has detailed information on the installation, operation,  management, and maintenance of these fences—an effective tool for mitigating HEC. Supported by the British Asian Trust and Darwin Initiative, this manual is designed for grassroots community members, forest department personnel, and contractor firms involved in solar fence management. The handbook provides a thorough understanding of solar fence components and their proper usage, including essential “Dos and Don’ts.”