The Dhenkanal forest department is planning to install automatic sirens along its national highway to save elephants from accidents.
These sensor-based sirens will sound when elephants cross the road to alert drivers within a distance of up to 1 km.
“Concerned over the death of the elephant, we started looking for innovative ideas to save them. The Dhenkanal Forest Department is planning to install automatic sirens near the NH at various places in the district. The siren will sound and the red light will go on as soon as the elephant approaches. The forest officer will also receive a message on his mobile phone,” said Dhenkanal DFO Prakash Chandra Gogini.
Project
The pilot project has been started by ‘Change’, a voluntary organization working in the field of elephant conservation in collaboration with the Dhenkanal Forest Department. This scheme is being implemented for the first time in Rasingh area under Dhenkanal Sadar range in elephant prone area.
Siren Tower is located along National Highway 55. The tower has a red light with a sensor and a siren machine.
Gogini said the elephant siren project has been taken up on an experimental basis near Rasingh and Haldiabahal on the Dhenkanal-Angul National Highway 55.
“Elephants have been killed in train and road accidents. The system will put an end to the elephant-man fight. Elephants will not only be safe from the attack of elephants, but the forest dwellers will also be saved. There is also an Elephant Over Passing Project under Kapilas Range to save elephants from train accidents which will be implemented in collaboration with the Department of Railways and Forestry. As part of this project, elephants will be able to go under the Elephant Over Pass,” said environmentalist Sisir Satpathy.
“Based on the success, we will implement the project in other parts of the state,” said Gogineni.
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