RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh High Court on Wednesday took serious note of the rising number of wildlife deaths, particularly elephants, due to electrocution across the state.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal heard a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) demanding immediate accountability from the state government.
During the proceedings, intervener and Raipur resident Nitin Singhvi presented various media reports detailing a series of tragic incidents that occurred in March 2026.
The court has directed the Additional Chief Secretary of the Forest and Climate Change Department to submit a detailed affidavit explaining the circumstances of these deaths and the preventative measures being implemented.
The petition detailed several harrowing incidents of wildlife deaths that occurred within a single month.
The misuse of electricity for poaching has also claimed human lives. A youth died in Sarangarh-Bilaigarh from a trap set for wild boars, and another person was killed by a live wire in Mainpat.
The crisis stems from two primary issues: crop protection and poaching. Farmers living on the fringes of forests often install illegal electric fences to protect their crops, while poachers lay "live-wire traps" to kill wild animals for meat or trade.
Nitin Singhvi’s petition alleges gross negligence on the part of both the forest and electricity departments. Wildlife experts point out that large animals like elephants, which travel long distances for water and food, are particularly vulnerable to these low-hanging or hidden wires.
The High Court has asked the state government to clarify the specific circumstances leading to the recent deaths, action taken against officials/individuals responsible for these lapses and a concrete roadmap to prevent such incidents in the future.
The state government is required to file its response before the next hearing, scheduled for May 5, 2026.