Dhenkanal: At least six elephants have died due to electrocution in the last two years in Dhenkanal district alone, according to reports that paint the forest department in a poor light with little to no control over poachers who are having a field run in the area.
Several meetings were held at the local circuit house, with senior forest officials in attendance. However, no concrete steps have been taken to ensure protection for the elephants. Environmentalists and animal rights activists allege that the meetings are only eyewash, as hardly anything of substance emerges from the meetings.
Electric poles and wires have been lying defunct in reserve forests. However, CESU hardly pays any heed to uproot old ones and replace them with new poles and wires. In 2014, a female elephant and its calf were electrocuted after coming in contact with an electric wire.
The incident occurred when the elephants were crossing National Highway-55 under Sadar forest range. They accidentally came in contact with the live wire and were killed on the spot. A forester was suspended in this regard by the administration while a police complaint was lodged against three senior officials of the electricity department in the case.
However, the three managed to obtain anticipatory bail in order to pre-empt their arrest, sources said. The forest department and CESU authorities are equally responsible for the electrocution deaths of elephants, locals said. The state government had warned of stringent action against CESU and the forest department if any official was to be found guilty of negligence. However, no steps were taken in this regard.
In the current year, at least two elephants have reportedly been killed in electrocution incidents between January and November. Later, another elephant died after being electrocuted Sunday adding to the number of deaths, sources said. Similarly, 60 elephants were reported to have lost their lives in man-animal conflict in the last six years while 70 persons were reportedly killed by the elephants.
Eight elephants and 10 persons were reportedly killed in 2011-12, 10 elephants and 7 persons in 2012-13, seven elephants and 10 persons in 2013-14, 14 elephants and 17 persons in 2014-15, 11 elephants and 15 persons in 2015-16 and 10 elephants and 11 persons in the year 2016-17.
Similipal stands first in elephant count while Dhenkanal is in second spot. Officially, 164 elephants were reported to be in the district while the number increased to 300 with the entry of pachyderms from neighbouring districts.