In an attempt to check the electrocution-induced death of elephants, the Odisha government has released Rs 445.75 crore to the power distribution companies to save heritage animals from meeting gory ends.

“The State Energy Department has released a fund of Rs 445.75 crore to the power distribution companies to increase the ground clearance of the electrical transmission networks (33 kV, 11 kV, LT) and replace bare conductors in elephant habitation corridors”, Odisha energy department informed in its official Twitter handle.

So far about 79000 interposing poles have been erected and more than 2300 circuit km of bare conductors have been replaced by covered ones, the department tweeted.

It may be recalled here that the State’s Chief Secretary in a review meeting held earlier had asked the power distribution companies (DISCOMs) and Forest Department to have regular interactions to achieve zero casualty of elephants due to electrocution.

The top bureaucrat had also directed the officials to involve the local community in this regard and come up with a scheme to reward the villagers who give information about illegal hooking for poaching wild animals.

He had also asked the DISCOM and Forest officials to be extremely vigilant during the ensuing harvest season and undertake regular joint patrolling to prevent illegal hooking in elephant corridors and movement areas.

Live wire poaching traps, sagging overhead lines and electrified fences result in the electrocution of these national heritage animals. The majority of the electrocution deaths are attributed to live wire poaching.

Since 2010, over 100 electrocution deaths of elephants have occurred in Odisha. The shrinkage of forest cover, which used to be the habitation corridors of elephants, has led these animals to stray into village areas in search of food. This is resulting in man-elephant conflict and fatalities of protected animals including elephants, according to conservationists

Elephant squads which are deployed to keep a tab on animals’ acts of trespass into human habitations ought to be directed to detect sagging lines and report it to distcoms (power distribution companies) so that it could be elevated to safe heights, they suggested.

Odisha still does not have the local reward system to prevent any hooking for live wire poaching. The government is planning to introduce a reward system. It is a positive initiative. It will prompt the people to share information to forest and DISCOM authorities.

The wire obtained from the air breaker (AB) switch station invites the poachers to carry out illicit activities, as the AB switches are not barricaded. The switch handles of the 11 Kv overhead power lines are often not insulated, making it easy for the poachers to connect live wires in order to trap the wildlife.

The Discoms should look into these aspects to save the elephants’ electrocution, they concluded.