Assam minister Nandita Garlosa unveils HaatiApp

GUWAHATI-   In a significant stride towards mitigating the growing human-elephant conflict (HEC) in Assam and the rest of Northeast region, Aaranyak, a leading biodiversity conservation organization, ceremonially launched a mobile phone application ‘HaatiApp’ and a comprehensive Solar Fence Manual (in Assamese language) at an event held here on August 10 night.

Both the App and the manual are meant for mitigation of the raging human elephant conflict (HEC) in Assam and other parts of the region to facilitate coexistence.

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Inaugurating the HaatiApp and the solar fence manual Assam Minister for Power, Sports and Welfare, ITFC (Archaeology) and Co-operation, Nandita Garlosa said both these tools would be of immense utility for multi-stakeholders in mitigation of HEC for the sake of coexistence.

Garlosa said that the State Power Department would  launch an awareness drive among the grassroot people to prevent electrocution of wild elephants through use of illegal power connections.

She further said that common people in some of the HEC hotspots in the state sometimes out of fear of being attacked by wild elephants resort to use illegal electric  power connections against wild elephants that sometimes lead to electrocution of the giant animal which is usually revered by the people of the state.

She assured to take steps from the Power Department to reach out to common people of those HEC-affected areas  to raise awareness against use of such illegal electric connections against wild elephants.

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The ceremony was graced by a host of dignitaries including Padma Shri Dr Kushal Konwar Sharma, Padma Shri Parbati Baruah, noted ecologist and retired Professor of Zoology in Gauhati University Dr Parimal Chandra  Bhattacharjee, Aaranyak’s Secretary General and CEO, Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, senior conservation scientist Dr Bibhuti Prasad Lahkar and other dignitaries from various walks of life. Aaranyak official Anushka Saikia anchored the event.

Padma Shri Dr. Kushal Konwar Sharma raised concerns about the illegal use of electricity to deter elephants, which poses a significant risk to both humans and elephants. He requested the state Power Minister for taking proactive steps towards prevention of electrocution deaths of wild elephants in the state due to use of illegal power connections by ‘miscreants’.

Padma Shri Parbati Baruah who is known as Hastir Kanya for being the most acclaimed female mahut in the country, stated that the Asian Elephants in the state as well as the region are facing a myriads of problems including rapidly shrinking habitats because of expanding human settlements. “We must learn to coexist and the HaatiApp and the solar fence manual are expected to facilitate it,” she said.

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Professor Parimal Chandra Bhattacharjee lauding the launch of HaatiApp and inauguration of the solar fence manual said these would be effective HEC mitigation tools and suggested that the manual in Assamese be brought out in other local languages spoken by the communities in HEC affected areas.

He termed the HEC problem a very dynamic one in respect of characteristics  and mentioned that elephants, which have tremendous ecological importance, require very long ranging areas and huge volume of fodder every day. He said it was high time for all  stakeholders to brainstorm to find a solution for coexistence otherwise the increasing HEC would erode the people’s inherent respect for the giant animal.

Earlier, Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, in his opening remarks, emphasized the urgency of addressing the escalating human-elephant conflict in the region  and said HaatiApp is set to serve as an early warning system, alerting villagers about  presence of wild elephants nearby. “This proactive approach is expected to significantly reduce negative interactions between humans and elephants.,” he said adding the App also streamlines the process for HEC-affected individuals to submit ex-gratia claims.

Dr. Bibhuti P. Lahkar who heads the Elephant Research and Conservation Division (ERCD) of Aaranyak, made an in-depth presentation on the HaatiApp and outlined the broader strategies including habitat conservation, the use of bio-fences, and community engagement as adopted by Aaranyak to complement efforts for mitigation of the HEC.

He highlighted how the App, supported by the SBI Foundation, would complement the efforts of the Forest Department in compensating victims of HEC.

The handbook on solar-powered fences, compiled in Assamese by Aaranyak official Anjan Baruah, has detailed information on  installation, operation,  management, and maintenance of these fences—an effective tool for mitigating HEC. Supported by the British Asian Trust and Darwin Initiative, this manual is designed for grassroots community members, forest department personnel, and contractor firms involved in solar fence management. The handbook provides a thorough understanding of solar fence components and their proper usage, including essential “Dos and Don’ts.”

The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Jayanta Pathak who said launching of HaatiApp and the Solar Fence Manual marked a pivotal step towards fostering coexistence between humans and elephants in Assam and the Northeast region.