Orissa High Court Urges Action Against Alarming Electrocution Deaths of Wild Elephants | Bhubaneswar News
Cuttack: Expressing ‘serious concern’ over the alarming rise in deaths of wild elephants due to electrocution in recent years, Orissa high court on Tuesday directed chief conservator of forests (wildlife-I), Manoj V Nair, to convene a meeting of chief executive officers (CEOs) of power distribution companies (discoms) “to ponder over the issue and the remedial measures”.
The two-judge bench of Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Justice Savitri Ratho said, “This (the large number of deaths) has happened despite the court’s serious intervention, which led to the preparation of an action plan and constitution of the joint task force to protect wild elephants in Odisha.”
The bench directed Nair to convene the meeting by Dec 6 and inform the court of its outcome when the matter is taken up for hearing on Dec 10. Nair, who attended Tuesday’s hearing via video conferencing, has been asked to be present in the next hearing.
The bench was hearing the case it registered suo motu on the death of three elephants due to electrocution in Naktideul range under Rairakhol forest division of Sambalpur district on Nov 18.
The bench expressed concern, taking note of the affidavit in which Nair gave details relating to deaths of wild elephants in the state from 2020-21 to 2024-25 (till Nov 22) along with causes.
The bench added, “Referring to the figures, Dr Nair has admitted that deaths of wild elephants by electrocution, either deliberate or accidental, is the area of most serious concern. It is evident from the data provided in the affidavit that in 2024, 23 deaths of wild elephants have been reported due to electrocution. As many as 85 elephants in the state died of electrocution from 2021 to Nov 22, 2024.”
HC’s direction followed senior advocate Goutam Mishra’s submission that since electrocution is one of the major reasons for deaths of wild elephants in the state, inclusion of the representatives from discoms is required.
Accordingly, the bench included CEOs of discoms — Tata Power Central Odisha Distribution Limited, Tata Power Western Odisha Distribution Limited, Tata Power Northern Odisha Distribution Limited, and Tata Power Southern Odisha Distribution Limited — as parties to the case.
The two-judge bench of Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Justice Savitri Ratho said, “This (the large number of deaths) has happened despite the court’s serious intervention, which led to the preparation of an action plan and constitution of the joint task force to protect wild elephants in Odisha.”
The bench directed Nair to convene the meeting by Dec 6 and inform the court of its outcome when the matter is taken up for hearing on Dec 10. Nair, who attended Tuesday’s hearing via video conferencing, has been asked to be present in the next hearing.
The bench was hearing the case it registered suo motu on the death of three elephants due to electrocution in Naktideul range under Rairakhol forest division of Sambalpur district on Nov 18.
The bench expressed concern, taking note of the affidavit in which Nair gave details relating to deaths of wild elephants in the state from 2020-21 to 2024-25 (till Nov 22) along with causes.
The bench added, “Referring to the figures, Dr Nair has admitted that deaths of wild elephants by electrocution, either deliberate or accidental, is the area of most serious concern. It is evident from the data provided in the affidavit that in 2024, 23 deaths of wild elephants have been reported due to electrocution. As many as 85 elephants in the state died of electrocution from 2021 to Nov 22, 2024.”
HC’s direction followed senior advocate Goutam Mishra’s submission that since electrocution is one of the major reasons for deaths of wild elephants in the state, inclusion of the representatives from discoms is required.
Accordingly, the bench included CEOs of discoms — Tata Power Central Odisha Distribution Limited, Tata Power Western Odisha Distribution Limited, Tata Power Northern Odisha Distribution Limited, and Tata Power Southern Odisha Distribution Limited — as parties to the case.
