Now, an elephant 'pushback' machine for villagers' succor

GUWAHATI, Jan 20: With marauding jumbos posing a threat in large parts of rural Assam, a young innovator Amiruddin Ahmed of Sivsagar district has come up with an ‘elephant pushback machine’ that promises to send the giant creatures scurrying from human habitations.

The machine is eco-friendly and low cost, operated by remote control. It produces laser ray, infra ray and ultra sound which impact the nervous system of elephants, deterring their movements or compelling them to divert their route. The machine can be used from a safe distance of 500 m to 1000 m, thereby helping avoid close encounters with the jumbos.

Speaking to this reporter, innovator Amiruddin Ahmed said, “The results obtained from this machine have been far better than I expected. I have long been concerned about man-elephant conflicts in the State. So, I made this machine in 2017 and conducted its first trial at Afola village.”

“When a herd of elephants approached the village, we started the machine. Lo and behold, the elephants turned tail and fled. Frightened at their running, locals asked us to stop the machine. Thereafter, we conducted another successful trial at Panbesa village.”

Prior to the second trial, a herd of 200 elephants was hiding in the forest near Panbesa village. As soon as the machine was activated, the elephants produced an extremely shrill and agitated sound, which they emit while in danger. 

As the terrified jumbos began moving towards the village amghar, the machine had to be shifted to make them run in the opposite direction into the forest. Later it was found that elephants up to 5km radius from the village were running helter-skelter, which meant the sound of the machine was audible to that distance.

Panbesa resident Mahendra Gogoi said, “At first we were wary of trying this machine because the innovator himself was doubtful about its effects. But we had no option. Wild elephants raid and devour our crops that we sow with hard labor. Our huts are broken into and we are left with nothing. So, we decided to give the machine a try.”

Gogoi continued: “But the moment the machine was started, the elephants shook the ground running. We were fearful they would stampede right through our amghar, fortutely they changed direction and went back. Only one elephant caused some damage.  Maybe he was left behind by the herd or he was deaf and therefore uffected by the machine. The herd has not appeared again near our village since the machine was used. We are much relieved.”

Another villager Lakhi Gogoi said, “This machine needs funding and support from the government for its commercial development. A fortnight back, we even submitted a memorandum on this issue to the Forest Minister. But there has been total silence from the government.”

Amiruddin, however, pointed out that although this machine helps to chase away elephants, it should not be used in areas like Kaziranga where conflicts occur due to humans encroaching into elephant corridors. “If the machine is used in elephant corridors, frightened elephants will never return and will thereby lose their habitat.  It should only be used in areas where man-elephant conflicts occur because elephants come out from their habitats to eat and destroy crops in village cropfields,” he said.