Today the well publicised man vs. elephant conflict in certain parts of the country has reached dismal levels and needs immediate attention to address this despicable situation in a more pragmatic manner.
It appears that all concerned parties are desperately looking for an effective and permanent solution which has not yet seen the light of day. Poor innocent peasants are dying or are maimedin great numbers and are helplessly left to protect themselves while killer elephants are freely rampaging in human habitations causing irreparable damage and destruction to life and property. Hardly a day passes sans the news of elephant attacks in some part of the country.
Conversely on the other hand the numbers of elephants killed by the enraged villagers using illegal methods of various makes are also steadily increasing.
“The slider-bank system needs no procurement of any raw material and would last for over 100 years “
This situation has aggravated due to a number of factors. First is that the forest cover which is the wild native habitat of the pachyderm has been rapidly dwindling due to vast deforestation brought about by development projects, housing schemes and politically patronised encroachments.
Secondly due to the overwhelming upsurge in the elephant population based on the State-sponsored protection extended to this specific species. With this present scenario the conflict will go from bad to worse sooner than later with no effective solution in the foreseeable future to protect both man and elephant.
Electric fence – a failure
Electric fence has been proved to be a total failure, despite the exorbitant cost on installation and maintenance. The electric fence is often unoperative, breached or out of commission due to negligence or practical difficulties faced in essential regular maintenance. Adding to these inadequacies, the elephant being a shrewd animal, has improvised its own manoeuvres to circumvent or resist the deterring effects of the electric fence according to what we hear from the villagers. At this rate the future generations of our endemic elephant species will carry still more enduring resistance capability through gene transfer over to their subsequent line of descent to withstand even a more powerful electric shock. Hence we have to look for a more effective and long-lasting method to address this menacing issue. 
Slider-Bank System
At this instance, I would like to suggest a totally successful method to prevent these pachyderms crossing over to areas of human habitation. I would name this method as the ‘slider-bank system’. The slider-bank system needs no procurement of any raw material and would need only minimal maintenance
if at all. It would be a successful method and would last for over 100 years. All what it needs to be installed is some earth excavating machinery and their operators until it is put in place. The slider-bank system is based on the basis that these massive creatures cannot climb steep elevations by their very nature.
As the elephants are restricted to State-owned forest land there would be no need for the procurement of private land or property. The slider-bank is to be built in the following manner.
On the side of the forest land about 20 feet away from the demarcated boundary (that separates the forest land from the village area) the excavation should begin and proceed in a gradual declining angle of 20 degrees sliding towards the boundary line where the excavation will attain a depth of 8ft. (approx.) when it reaches the boundary. All the earth so excavated should be heaped on the opposite side of the boundary creating an earth embankment which would stand to an envisaged height of 10ft. Then with the depth of the 8ft. entrenchment the embankment would attain a total height of 18ft. (approx.) creating a steep and strong barrier which would make it impossible for these heavy creatures to climb and cross over. Once built, it needs no maintenance. Optionally, if necessary narrow pass-through gaps or arches may be provided at required locations for the villagers to cross over to the reserved area. Within a few months the embankment will consolidate and settle firm and tight. Grass and shrubs will quickly grow on it further reinforcing its strength. The villagers would gladly volunteer to maintain it if and when needed at all.
With this permanent barrier the villagers will be able to enjoy peaceful nights sans the fear of elephant attacks and the elephants will be safe from being met with cruel circumstances. In my estimation this project will cost much less than what it costs to install and continually mend and maintain the electric fence which has hitherto been seen as not standing to the ‘desired expectations’ due to various maintenance problems and other reasons. It is my hope that the authorities in power would consider this proposal favourably and may develop it further if necessary, and expedite it for the benefit of both the helpless villagers and the endangered pachyderms
