Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday asked officials to formulate guidelines for farmers to set up solar-powered fences to protect their crops from wild animals.
He issued the instructions while holding a review meeting here on Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Jan Van Vikas Yojana, under which support is provided to farmers and people residing near forests to set up solar fences (which work like electric fences but powered by solar energy).
Solar-powered fences should be erected on a pilot basis in five villages of Chandrapur district, the CM said.
As many as 939 villages have been selected under the scheme in the state, he said.
Thackeray also asked officials to increase radio-collaring of tigers to track them and avoid human-animal conflict.
The scheme focuses on sustainable development of forests, water, land and people living in villages near forest to increase productivity, reduce forest dependency, provide alternate livelihood sources and reduce man-animal conflict.
