NRL Builds Elephant Monitoring Towers in Assam to Prevent Conflict

Guwahati: Numaligarh Refinery Limited is dropping Rs 64.75 lakh to track wild elephant movements across Assam. They plan to erect 14 monitoring towers in the Numaligarh-Morangi region. These structures aim to stop human-elephant fights before they start. Each tower carries a price tag of roughly Rs 5 lakh.

The company picked 14 specific spots for the project. These include Dholagaon, No. 2 Kaibarta, Bogoriani, Kuruwabahi, Dhuliagaon, No. 5 Rongbong, No. 4 Rongbong, Borchapori, Mithamchapori, Ponka Sengamorajan, Hatimorajan, Difalopathar, Bhulaguri, and Kordoiguri. The towers serve as early warning posts when herds head toward tea gardens, crops, or homes at night.

The design includes solar-powered lights, fans, and water-heating systems. Farmers can also use these spots as resting areas while working their fields. Officials see potential for the sites to boost agri-tourism given the surrounding tea estates.

NRL insists that this is a joint effort between locals and the Forest Department. They want people to stay smart. The company stated, "Residents have been advised to avoid approaching or provoking wild elephants and to inform the Forest Department or concerned authorities when elephant movement is detected." Better coordination remains the goal for long-term coexistence.