Concerned over elephants’ unnatural deaths due to poaching and deliberate electrocution, the Odisha Krushak Mahasangha has suggested that informers providing tip-offs about poaching be awarded cash prize of Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh while keeping their names secret.
As many as 748 elephants had died between 2,000-01 and August 27, 2013 due to various reasons. The deaths include 127 due to poaching, 17 due poisoning, 63 for accidents, 16 for train accidents, 67 for accidental electrocution, 53 due to deliberate electrocution, 107 for reasons not known, 105 for natural reasons and 163 due to diseases.
“Due to deforestation food and water are not sufficiently available for elephants and other wild animals. As a result, these creatures are leaving forest and coming to villages to eat paddy, other crops and also to drink water. So, the affected persons are killing elephants. Besides, mafias are hunting them,” Mahasangha president Bibhudendra Pratap Das said while making some suggestions.
Stating that rewards under the Detection of Forest Offences Rules, 2004 is not encouraging, Das said the reward money should be 30 per cent of cost of theft materials for outside informers and 20 per cent for Government staffs. The increase in reward percentage would certainly encourage public to inform the clandestine operations, he said. He also suggested that a special court may kindly be established for quick disposal of wild animal crime cases.
Besides, he said as forest absorbs carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, use of valuable wooden materials in private building may be completely banned by making appropriate law. “Those who will use these materials shall be liable for disconnection of electric supply, heavy fine and severe punishment. The money collected from offenders may be given to informers as well as Government staffs at 35% and 15% of the values theft materials, respectively,” he said
Alleging that plantation activities have failed due to rampant corruption, he said plantation and follow-up action be assigned on tender basis to private agencies by taking bank guarantee. To avoid railway accident, he suggested that solar electrification may be provided on both side of railway lines in forest area by the Railway department. Massive ponds may be provided in the forest areas for drinking purpose of elephants, he said. Das said he has already sent his suggestions to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.