Forest, power depts set to check jumbo deaths- in the past five years, 25 elephants died due to electrocution

The development comes after the Calcutta High Court took suomotu cognizance of increasing unnatural deaths of wildlife--elephants, bison and birds--in north Bengal and issued directions. According to figures available in the past five years, 25 elephants died due to electrocution.

SANKHA GHOSH SILIGURI, 12NOVEMBER 2020: The West Bengal forest department and the power department have jointly taken up several decisions, including setting up of an "anti-electrocution cell' that will identify sagging high tension electricity lines and monitor illegal electric fences to prevent electrocution of elephants in north Bengal districts.

According to sources, eight cases of electrocution of elephants had been reported in the region so far this year.

The development comes after the Calcutta High Court took suomotu cognizance of increasing unnatural deaths of wildlife--elephants, bison and birds--in north Bengal and issued directions. According to figures available in the past five years, 25 elephants died due to electrocution.

In a meeting on 3 November, where representatives of the forest and the state's power department were present, several other decisions like identification of corridors used by elephants and rewarding individuals for reporting sagged lines were taken.

According to the chief conservator of forests, wildlife, north, Rajendra Jakhar, both the departments had jointly taken several decisions to prevent the deaths of elephants from electrocution.

The 'anti-electrocution cell' will consist of local forest officials.The West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited, district administration, rural bodies and the police will formulate strategies on preventive and mitigation measures and monitor ways to prevent illegal electric fences. The cell will identify sagging high-tension lines, and certain electric poles near elephant corridors that need to be covered with barbed wire to prevent elephants from leaning against them. It has been decided that WhatsApp groups will be created to keep everyone informed. "Tea garden managements may not be encouraging illegal electric fences, but the labour colony has individual electricity connections and they are setting them up to prevent ingress of elephants, which are causing accidents," a note from the minutes of the meeting of the two departments read.

According to data tabled in the parliament earlier this year, three states--West Bengal, Odisha and Assam-account for half of both human and elephant deaths in the human-elephant conflict in the country.