The mega farm will install its fencing at the same spot where the gewog’s efencing has been installed

Farm: Villagers of Samrang are concerned that a section of the solar electric fencing installed last year to save their crops from wildlife might have to make way for the upcoming livestock mega farm project.

Farmers have heard that about 600 meters of the five km electric fence would need to be removed since the project has installed its own electric fence for their farm, which however passes through the same area where the gewog’s electric fencing has been installed.

Villagers say that because of the gewog’s electric fencing, they have been able to harvest paddy, ginger, maize and bananas, which were earlier lost to elephant attacks. Given the rampant human wildlife conflict in Samrang, many villagers had to leave the gewog in the 90s.

After the electric fencing was installed, villagers had started growing a variety of fruits.

“We hope that the project’s fencing would benefit us even if our fencing is removed,” Tara Bir said.

Another villager Dawa said the project should have checked if the gewog’s fence was on the project’s land or not.

However, gup MB Gurung said that although project officials have said that the fence might have to be removed, the gewog office has been given an option to either remove or keep the fence.

“Since there will be two fencings at the same spot, the project official thought it was good to remove one because when two wires cross each other, the current becomes ineffective,” he said.

The gup said that for now, villagers should not worry. With 27 households, Samrang is 24km from Samdrupcholing dungkhag.

Yangchen C Rinzin, Samdrupcholing