CHENNAI: In order to protect wildlife and safeguard farm produce, obtaining prior permission from authorities is now mandatory to put up electric fences, the Tamil Nadu government said on Tuesday.
In a first of its kind initiative, the government said it has notified the Tamil Nadu Power Fences (Registration and Regulation) Rules 2023. On July 3, 2023, the rules have been notified. “This would standardise and regulate erection of power fences and for registration of already erected power fences around farm lands,” an official release said. The TN government is deeply committed to protect wildlife in the state. There have been instances of wild animals especially elephants getting electrocuted due to high voltage electric fences.
“In order to protect wildlife it has become essential to bring in place a set of regulations to strandardise parameters for putting up power fences. At the same time, it is absolutely essential to safeguard agricultural produce of farmers being destroyed by wildlife in areas adjoining forests. Standardised regulations would also help farmers protect their crop,” the government said.
The new rules make it mandatory to seek prior permission to erect power fences including solar power fences. It also has become mandatory to register already erected power fences.
These rules shall be applicable only within 5 km from the notified reserve forest areas in Tamil Nadu. All companies in the business of erecting power fences are now mandated to comply with BIS standard viz., BIS-302-2-76 (India) norms.