In yet another tragic incident a young pachyderm was electrocuted to death in the Chilla range of Rajaji Tiger Reserve on Tuesday. The elephant was travelling in a herd and was trying to eat the bark of a tree while getting electrocuted. However, the other herd members escaped unhurt.
Director of Rajaji, Sanatan (who uses his first name) told TOI, “In this particular case, the high-tension line was positioned at the right height. However, the tree under which the jumbo was standing had one of its branches closer to the line. So when the animal tried to eat the bark, the branch came in contact with the wire and electrocuted it. Luckily the others escaped unhurt.”
He, however, attributed the frequent incidents of electrocution to mushrooming of township outside the reserve’s boundary due to which the high-tension wires are being set-up in the forest area. “The animals unaware about the dangers are getting killed,” he added.
Instances of elephants electrocuted to death have also thrown light on the laxity of the part of the power department in tightening of sagging power lines or maintaining them at right height (stipulated height is 17 feet) or even installation of such wires inside the forest area.
In a similar incident a young tuskar was killed after coming in contact with low-hanging HT line just 300 meter away from the Kalagarh area in Corbett Tiger Reserve on Friday night. Though the area comes under the Bijnor district of Uttar Pardesh, it was an elephant from the Corbett which had strayed into the area to feed on sugarcanes in the field when it got electrocuted. “The seriousness from the UP power department to place HT power lines at appropriate height around the Corbett reserve is yet to be seen,” said an official.
Just two months ago, a female elephant and its calf got electrocuted due to low-hanging high tension wire inside the core area of Rajaji Tiger Reserve. The cow got electrocuted when it raised trunk came in contact with the wire while the calf was in direct contact with its mother, leading to their deaths in the Haridwar range of the reserve.
The sighting of the carcasses after three to four days of the incident also raised questions over patrolling carried out by the forest staff.
While, the electricity department came faced flak after the incident as the HT line was hanging at 13 feet in contravention to stipulated height of 17 feet inside the reserve. The park officials had also filed a case against the power department in the matter under Wildlife Protection Act.