Odisha government orders probe into 50 elephant deaths in six months
BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Sunday ordered a detailed inquiry into the unnatural death of around 50 elephants in the last six months.
Raising concern over the spate of elephant deaths, Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia said responsibility will be fixed on officers found negligent and inefficient in safeguarding the life of the animals.
Singhkhuntia directed the additional chief secretary (ACS), Forest, Satyabrata Sahu to conduct a divisionwise investigation into incidents of elephant deaths and take stringent action against those found responsible. He also asked the ACS to submit a report on the progress of investigation and action taken, within a month.
Describing the situation as very alarming, the minister directed the forest department officials to take additional care and protective measures to curb the elephant deaths in the state.
He underlined that the state government has been taking various measures to prevent the death of the elephants due to unnatural causes through initiatives such as deployment of Gaja Sathis and rapid action teams.
“However, more care and sincerity on the part of forest officials have become need of the hour to ensure a safe environment with statutory protective measures for the safety of the elephants. Priority must be given to the matter and errant officers must not be let scot free,” he said.
Sources in the department revealed that at least 56 elephants died in the state between April and mid-October this year, accounting for over 80 per cent of the total elephant deaths reported in 2023-24. Baripada and Dhenkanal divisions logged the highest number of five deaths each, followed by four each in Angul, Athagarh and Keonjhar divisions. While 10 deaths were natural, the rest were either due to electrocution, accident or diseases.
Sources said, at least 20 elephants were killed in electrocution, 18 of them due to deliberate electrocution, since April this year. Another 12 elephants died in different diseases and three due to train collision. The number of elephant death in train accidents will increase to four if the recent killing of a tusker in Angul division is taken into consideration.
Moreover, sources revealed that despite forest department’s effort to check conflict through village-level awareness and deployment of Gaja Sathis, retaliatory killing has claimed four elephants in Dhenkanal, Athmallik and Rourkela during this period.
