Khodad: Forest staff guided farmers through a workshop titled 'Solar Fencing' at Nagadwadi (Junnar) on Saturday. The workshop has been organised by the forest department to reduce the menace of leopards in villages of Junnar forest division and to prevent human attacks by leopards.
Under the guidance of Deputy Conservator of Forests Amol Satpute, a one-day workshop was organized to guide officers, staff and members of leopard rescue team on solar fencing in the base camp set up at Nagdwadi.
Sankalp Darda and Sandesh Darda trained foresters, forest guards, forest workers and rescue teams on these devices so that farmers can know about these solar fences.
In particular, detailed information was given about how shock machines, batteries, solar power plates and solar fences work. It also provided guidance on how to take care of it, how to make the device as sustainable as possible, and what measures to adopt.
Assistant Conservator of Forests, Junnar, Smita Rajhans, Otur Forest Range Officer Lahu Thokal, as well as foresters, forest guards, forest guards, forest labourers and members of the rescue team of Junnar, Otur forest range were present for the workshop.
How solar fencing works
Solar fencing is being used as a safe measure to protect people from leopards in secluded houses in the fields. Electric current is released into this solar fence. If the star is touched by an animal, there is a loud shock and the animal runs away. Also, the animal doesn't come back there.
If the solar fence is installed in a secluded house in the field, the family there can be safe from the leopard. The solar fence is worth Rs 30,000. In this, 75 percent subsidy will be given to the beneficiary farmer.
The farmer has to pay 25 per cent of the amount. The farmer has to pay the poles to be installed for the solar fence, the pits to be dug for it and the cement and labour required. To avail the benefit of this scheme, the homeowner needs to pass a resolution in the gram sabha, said Amol Satpute, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Junnar