SAMBALPUR: The death of an 11-year-old female elephant calf in Naktideul range’s Sarapali beat has once again laid bare the grim crisis of elephant electrocutions in Sambalpur district.
The animal, a sub-adult female, came in contact with a single-stranded GI wire illegally hooked to a low-tension electric line, barely 150 metre from the home of a local farmer. The accused, arrested soon after, admitted to laying the wire to prevent elephants from entering his paddy field. This act, like many before it, turned deadly.
The incident prompted an immediate response from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi who ordered a high-level probe and promised strict action. A team led by chief conservator of forests (wildlife) and Joint Task Force chief Manoj Nair rushed to the spot.
Officials of Forest and Energy departments confirmed that the electric fencing was illegally charged by bypassing the meter which has been an increasingly common practice in Sambalpur’s forest-edge villages.
Sunday’s was the ninth case of elephant electrocution in Sambalpur since June last year, a worrying picture of neglect and failed safeguards. The region, known for regular elephant movement through its Sadar, Jujumura, and Naktideul ranges, has seen a series of such deaths but pointing to poor field-level vigilance and lax enforcement.
The cycle began on June 17 last year when a tusker was electrocuted in Basiapada village under Jujumura range. Three weeks later, on July 4, a pregnant elephant was found dead in Jhankarbahali village in Sadar range. On August 18, an adult female elephant died in Charadapasi, Naktideul range, after coming in contact with a sagging 11 kv power line. Though GRIDCO was alerted, no visible action followed.
The most horrific of the cases occurred on November 18, when three elephants - two adults and a calf - were electrocuted in a single night after entering a live-electric trap in Buramal village under Naktideul range. The Forest department suspended three staff, arrested villagers. Yet within two months, two more tuskers were found dead in Sadar range - near Lavdera-Bolbanga reserve forest, and Jaduloisingh. Both deaths bore signs of electrocution.
The count has grown to nine elephant deaths in around a year, making Sambalpur one of Odisha’s worst-hit districts in terms of elephant electrocution. Despite field inquiries and post-mortem investigations, illegal electrification continues unabated while no serious effort has been made to identify and insulate low-tension lines in conflict zones by the Energy department.
Similarly, solar fencing systems often installed without monitoring or maintenance besides electric trap to poach animals are being laid despite extensive patrolling by forest staff. The misuse of fencing - like in Sunday’s case - is frequent.
After three elephants were electrocuted in Naktideul in November, the Orissa High Court had directed the Forest and Energy departments to coordinate with electricity distribution companies and prepare a district-wise action plan. The court had also sought detailed affidavits from the principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) and ordered mandatory inspection of vulnerable power lines and fencing systems.