“Toribari was losing up to 50% of their annual crops, compelling the villagers to give up commercial cultivation of profitable crops like maize and bananas and restricting them to paddy cultivation. There were also instances of property damage and human casualties in conflicts; this needed to be addressed for the welfare of these villagers as well as elephants,” said Nidhi Singh, resident of Siliguri who proposed the RAP.
The RAP was implemented by Singh, with the help of Green Guard Nature Organisation (GGNO) and Him Serve, with the support of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI). It deployed the EWS as the first line of defense, and a peripheral plantation of chili and lime bushes to avert the elephants.
“The EWS covers about five km of Toribari’s boundary and comprises wires connected to bells and trigger switches which go off on contact and alert the villagers of approaching elephants. It was developed by Nagaon-based GGNO and was successfully deployed to mitigate human-elephant conflicts in Chapanala and Salona in Nagaon district with the help of WTI,” said Singh. “The chili plantation gives out pungent smell that overwhelms the smell of paddy to prevent attracting the elephants whereas lime bushes, being thorny, act as a physical barrier.”
Apart from preventive measures like these, villagers were trained to tackle conflict situations, and were given searchlights and spotlights for the purpose.
Since the beginning of the RAP, only one instance of elephants attempting entry into the village has been recorded. No damage to crop or property was reported.
“We have supported similar successful short-term interventions to mitigate crop damage by wildlife in the past too, implemented by individuals or grassroots organisations in villages that are predominantly dependent on agriculture for livelihood. These interventions are crucial, as these people are severely affected by the crop losses; additionally, these simple mitigation measures can effectively minimise threats of retaliation by people,” said Radhika Bhagat, Officer-in-Charge, Wild Aid division, the outreach arm of WTI.
