Jamshedpur Forest Division Installs Solar Fencing to Combat Man-Elephant Conflict in Chakulia Range

Jamshedpur: In a major step to curb man-elephant conflict in the Chakulia forest range, the Jamshedpur Forest Division (JFD) has moved to insulate the forest cover with solar fencing.Foresters have identified a 48-km radius for fencing near the Chakulia forest range, which borders over 20 villages. Forest division DFO Saba Alam said tenders will be invited once the state govt releases funds. “The project is approved for 2026, and we expect to begin implementation soon,” Alam said.Officials said the solar fencing is aimed at protecting villagers and their property, including homes, crops and food supplies, by deterring elephants from entering residential areas. At the same time, the installation is expected to reduce risks to elephants by preventing them from straying into villages.A similar project is already underway in the Chandil forest range of adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawan district, where a 27 km of solar fencing is being installed. A pilot stretch of over 1 km in Ramnagar village of Nimdih block has already been fenced, and officials said it has successfully stopped elephant movement into the residential area.The fencing operates on a 12-volt system, delivering a safe, non-lethal pulse to discourage elephants. It is also fitted with an alarm system that alerts guards the moment an elephant attempts to cross. Automated lighting switches on during night-time alarms, helping foresters identify the exact breach point instantly.Of the 20 villages, more than a dozen — Jamdhari, Bir Danga, Pakuria, Lohanbani, Bhadua, Rajabasa, Chouthia, Dighi, Chandanpur, Dumuridih, Bara Dhaodangri, Lodhanbani and Sardiha — frequently report elephant attacks.Wildlife activity remains intense, with a 29-member herd in Pakuria village and seven more elephants in neighbouring Kaju forest. From 2017 to May 2026, the Chakulia range recorded 43 deaths, 37 injuries, 271 homes destroyed and crop damage across over 416 hectares.