A 30-year-old female elephant was found electrocuted in a muddy cornfield under the Brahmanabasta forest area on Sunday morning. According to sources, the pachyderm came in contact with a low-lying high tension electric cable.
After intimation, Athagarh DFO Arun Mishra with his team reached the spot and sought to ascertain under which circumstances the elephant could have died. He informed this reporter that the elephant might have rubbed with the electric poles, as a result of which the wires could have come low of six feet height and coming in contact with the live wires it could have died.
However, locals alleged that the DFO’s version was to save the job of some forest and electrical officials for whose negligence the elephant died during the observance of the Wildlife Week. The locals alleged that the woman Forester of the area does not even stay in the headquarters. The Forest Guard of the area also does not stay in the field. Similarly, the Khuntuni Range Officer does not patrol the area and has links with jungle mafias, they alleged.
The locals further alleged that electricity officials also do not visit the elephant corridor and do not report to the authorities at appropriate time, for which such “manmade” accidents happen.
The Government has erected solar fencing for elephants by spending crores of rupees in this route, but all that are useless when the safety of wild animals is at stake at every step.
The locals also alleged that as the forest and electricity officials have nexus with local politicians, they continue in their posts for decades.