BHUBANESWAR: A day after charged wire of an electric pole killed an elephant in Keonjhar division, the state government said it will spend Rs 50 crore in 2023-24 to check the electrocution of jumbos in Odisha.
Energy Minister Pratap Keshari Deb said Rs 50 crore has been allocated in the state budget 2023-24 under the elephant corridor scheme check death of elephants due to electrocution.
The cabinet minister said the government has already allocated Rs 690.2 crore towards strengthening of electrical infrastructure in forest areas and elephant corridors and migratory routes. Chief Wildlife Warden SK Popli said the Forest department had identified 3,800 km stretch for cabling and insulation of electric wires of which work in 2,500 km stretch has been completed by the agencies of Energy department.
Besides, around 13,000 weak points in the power supply network had been identified in the forest areas of the state. The agencies, so far, have completed rectification work in over 9,000 such points, he added.
The weak points include sagging wires, tilted or weak electric pole.
The PCCF (wildlife) said additional stretches and points for cabling, insulation and rectification work are also being identified and will be submitted to the Energy department for funds and execution of the work in near future.
The increasing incidents of electrocution has thrown a major challenge to the forest department in ensuring a safe habitat for the elephants and other wild animals in forests. Faulty power lines, electric poles, sagging wires as well as charged trap by poachers, has become a matter challenge for the government in the recent years. As per statistics, at least 77 elephants have fallen to electrocution in Odisha between 2018-19 and 2022-23.