Dhenkanal: As many as seven elephants were electrocuted after coming in contact with a high voltage live wire near Kamalanga village under Sadar range in this district late Friday night. Thirteen others of the herd of 20, however, managed to escape.
Of the dead, one was a calf while two others were males and four were females.
Animal lovers and villagers Saturday morning woke up to the tragedy that they blame on the callousness of the forest and electricity department.
They found the carcasses of the animals lying near a nullah.
According to the locals, a sagging electric wire — drawn for providing power to a railway project underway in the area — claimed the lives of the seven elephants. As per rules, the electric wire should be 17 feet above the ground. But at Kamalanga, the rule is blatantly sidelined. The wire that caused the death of the jumbos was at a height of just 8 feet, locals alleged.
Sources said, a herd of 20 elephants had been roaming in and around the village for the past few days. They were passing through a farmland near Kamalanga Friday night when they came in contact with the electric wire, leading to the death of the seven elephants. However, the other 13 elephants had a narrow escape.
On being informed, forest department officials reached the spot and started an investigation.
Directing their ire at the administration and forest department, animal lovers have asked why the wire was allowed to be stretched at such a low height and that too at a place known as the corridor of wild animals.
Besides, they have also questioned the forest department for not carrying out regular inspection of the elephant corridors.
Locals have held the forest department squarely responsible for such a shocking incident and demanded stringent action against whosoever is found guilty.
PNN
