Assam recorded 113 elephants electrocuted in 11 years, Forest dept helpless

GUWAHATI: Assam has officially recorded 113 elephant deaths due to electrocution in the last one decade. Even though the official figure of electrocution was counted in between 2009 and September 25, 2020, the unofficial number of such nature of death of jumbos might be more.

The State Forest department is apparently looking helpless to prevent cases of electrocution of elephants as villagers in many districts are putting up electric fences to protect their crops and homes from the wandering pachyderms. Such electric fences have claimed the lives of three elephants including a pregnant one recently in Chirang district. In between August and December this year six elephants have died due to electrocution in and around the Manas National Park. At least five elephants were electrocuted in Chirang district during this period.

"Villagers steal power to electrify their fences to stop elephants from destroying their paddy fields and homes. The State Forest department is in touch with the Assam Power Distribution Company Private Ltd to solve the issue. Several transformers in areas where movement of elephants is frequent have disconnected, as per provisions of electricity rules (regarding improper use of power connections)," a source in the Forest department said.

Aaranyak, a leading NGO working in the field of wildlife has termed electrocution of jumbos as tragic. "Such deaths could have been prevented in case timely actions were taken by the Forest department. Many villagers are angry and frustrated as they are not compensated by the government even after their crops and properties are damaged by wild elephants. So, many villagers take matters into their own hands and build these electric fences. The Forest department and other authorities concerned will have to take a holistic approach to solve the issue and save elephants from being electrocuted," Dr Bibhab Talukdar, secretary general of Aaranyak said.