National green body has directed the cash-strapped electricity power distribution company to pay the fine to Odisha’s Forest Department for utilisation in protection of elephants
New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) Thursday imposed a fine of Rs 4 crore on cash-strapped Central Electricity Supply Utility (Cesu) of Odisha over the death of seven elephants due to electrocution in Dhenkanal district.
A bench of chairperson Adarsh Kumar Goel directed Cesu to deposit the fine to Odisha Forest Department and directed the state Forest Department to utilise the fund for the protection of elephants.
The bench comprising SP Wangadi, K Ramakrishnan and Nagin Nanda observed that the incident occurred due to utter negligence of Cesu officials. It directed the state forest department to chalk out an action plan to prevent occurrence of such incidents in future.
“The state Forest Department shall report to the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) every three months about the implementation of the action plan,” the bench observed.
The NGT’s direction came after the report of a four-member inspecting team, comprising a representative from MoEF, a member from the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, the director of Project Elephant and the Chief Wildlife Warden of Odisha was submitted. The panel constituted by the NGT also suggested measures to prevent such incidents.
The NGT had slapped a fine of Rs 1 crore on the Cesu October 30 for its negligence and instructed the discom to pay the fine within a week.
The green tribunal had taken suo motu cognizance of the matter after the death of seven elephants due to electrocution in Dhenkanal district was reported in the media.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik October 28 ordered a Crime Branch probe into the incident. A five-member CB team was entrusted to submit a report after obtaining relevant forensic reports.
Notably, seven elephants were electrocuted after coming in contact with a high voltage sagging live wire near Kamalanga village under Sadar range in Dhenkanal district October 26. Thirteen other pachyderm of the herd of 20, however, managed to escape. One of the dead was a calf, while the others included two males and four females.
