Jhapa, April 18

Locals in southern Jhapa, who were harassed by the threat posed by wild elephants, will finally be able to sleep in peace.

Locals are heaving a sigh of relief as an electrified fence will be built at Charkose Jungle of Haldibari and Jalthal Charkose Jhadi of Kachanakwal Rural Municipality in Jhapa.

Chairman of Haldibari Rural Municipality Rabindra Lingden said they had been preparing to build the electrified fence in the jungle areas of Charkose spread over 45 kilometres. “Six crore rupees under the Natural Conservation Fund of Nepal Government will be spent on the fence,” he added.

Lingden informed that the fence would be constructed in wards 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Haldibari Rural Municipality and wards 1, 6, and 7 of Kachanakwal Rural Municipality. “The locals will breathe easy after completion of the fence,” he said.

Lingden further added that destruction of property would be minimised after construction of the fence.

Assistant Forest Officer Debendra Uprety of Division Forest Office, Jhapa, said the fence would be built around Jalthal jungle area in the first phase to control the wild elephants. “The contract was already signed for construction of the fence and three companies would be working together,” he informed.

Uprety said that New Creation, Pashupati and French Guard JV had signed the contract.

Maheshpur, Jalthal, Prithivinagar, Garamani, Duhagadhi, Bahundangi, Shantinagar, Sanischare, Arjundhara, Shivasatashi, Topgachhi, among other places are elephant-affected areas. Uprety said 10 to 15 elephants inhabited the jungle of Jhapa permanently.