As dusk descends on Dejuri village in Bankura district, darkness no longer engulfs the narrow mud roads amid the dense forest areas that lead to the hamlet.

Dozens of poles of solar-powered lamps, which dot the roads, illuminate the dusty stretch and help prevent attacks by elephants on the villagers returning home in the evening from their day's work.

In the last six months, not a single villager has been killed by elephants who stray from the Siuliban forest that is connected to the Dalma forest range.

The change has been brought by Saharjora gram panchayat in Barjora block, which decided to harness solar energy to illuminate the village roads.

Earlier, the roads, which criss cross one of the important elephant corridors in Bankura district, used to remain dark even though it was the only approach to the villages under Saharjora vilalge panchayat in Barjora block.

The villagers, while returning home in the evening, often encountered herds of elephants and found themselves helpless in front of them.

The village has witnessed six deaths in the last two years due to the tuskers. At least 22 persons were injured in the elephant attacks, according to the panchayat office record.

In the past, villagers had demanded lights to be installed along the roads so that they could see the approaching herds of elephants. However, the demand fell on deaf

ears of politicians and administration.

One of the remotest tribal villages in the dense forest area in Bankura, however, found a way out. Even though, the electricity could not reach the village, the villagers installed solar panels and solar lights to illuminate the village roads.

Now, rain or shine, the 40 solar lamps are switched on around 6 pm and remain so till 6 next morning

The villagers decided to install lights by themselves, around seven months ago, when they found the mutilated body of a local farmer.

"It was shocking for all of us. Sushil Kundu's smashed body was found on the road. The villagers started agitating, demanding a solution to the problem. We could not bring electricity, but we could install solar lights here," said Gautam Mondal, panchayat pradhan of Saharjora.

"Our village is surrounded by dense forests and every year we suffer a huge loss due to the elephants. Last year, the elephant herds also damaged at least 500 houses," Mondal added.

Installing the lamps cost the gram panchayat Rs 8.36 lakh that was spent from the panchayat department funds.

"Earlier, we used to be scared until the men reached home in the evening. The elephants would enter the village almost everyday and attacked whoever came in their way. But now, the villagers spot the approaching elephants and become alert. They hide or sometimes chase them away," said Soma Mondal.

Local BDO Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan termed it as a successful panchayat project. "We have planned to implement this project in some other interior remote villages in the forest where electricity is yet to reach," Khan said.

Please read our terms of use before posting comments