Solar fences charged with high power to electrocute elephants: Experts | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: After deputy chief minister K V Singh Deo informed the assembly on Wednesday that 27 elephants were electrocuted in the past five years, wildlife experts said most of the deaths were caused by misuse of solar fences by villagers.
In response to a question by Nayagarh MLA Arun Sahoo, the deputy CM’s written reply revealed that the western districts of Sambalpur, Deogarh, Sonepur, Sundargarh, Balangir and Bargarh reported 17 electrocution deaths of elephants, while the remaining 10 were recorded in other parts of the state
A solar fence is charged with a mild current to prevent elephants from straying into human habitation. However, some fences were discovered to have been charged with high-voltage power by villagers. As a result, the elephants came into contact with them accidentally and died, wildlife experts said.
Earlier, the Wildlife Society of Odisha (WSO), a private body working for the conservation of wildlife, drew the attention of the forest department to the misuse of fencing by villagers in areas with more elephants.
“There are several defunct solar fences in elephant-rich areas that are used by poachers to lay traps to kill animals. Although it is meant to stop elephants from straying into human habitations, poachers are linking the fence with electric wires to kill the animals. They are diverting power from high-tension wires to electrocute elephants,” wildlife campaigner Biswajit Mohanty said.
He said there should be regular patrolling along the areas reporting frequent elephant menace to check if power lines are being misused. “Now there are detectors available to check if an electric wire has been laid nearby. The forest and energy departments should jointly work to ensure such electricity lines are removed,” Mohanty said.
In response to a question by Nayagarh MLA Arun Sahoo, the deputy CM’s written reply revealed that the western districts of Sambalpur, Deogarh, Sonepur, Sundargarh, Balangir and Bargarh reported 17 electrocution deaths of elephants, while the remaining 10 were recorded in other parts of the state
A solar fence is charged with a mild current to prevent elephants from straying into human habitation. However, some fences were discovered to have been charged with high-voltage power by villagers. As a result, the elephants came into contact with them accidentally and died, wildlife experts said.
Earlier, the Wildlife Society of Odisha (WSO), a private body working for the conservation of wildlife, drew the attention of the forest department to the misuse of fencing by villagers in areas with more elephants.
“There are several defunct solar fences in elephant-rich areas that are used by poachers to lay traps to kill animals. Although it is meant to stop elephants from straying into human habitations, poachers are linking the fence with electric wires to kill the animals. They are diverting power from high-tension wires to electrocute elephants,” wildlife campaigner Biswajit Mohanty said.
He said there should be regular patrolling along the areas reporting frequent elephant menace to check if power lines are being misused. “Now there are detectors available to check if an electric wire has been laid nearby. The forest and energy departments should jointly work to ensure such electricity lines are removed,” Mohanty said.
