Elephant Deaths: Maneka Urges Naveen To Intervene

Bhubaneswar: Expressing grave concern over rising number of deaths of elephants in Odisha, well-known animal rights activists and Union Minister Maneka Gandhi has urged the state government to take expeditious steps to prevent such unfortunate incidents.

In a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday, Maneka said the electrocution of seven elephants at a time in Dhenkanal district on October 26 is the highest and the first incident in the country.

Stating that a total of 435 elephants had met untimely death in Odisha during 2011-17 of which 28 per cent (124) of the deaths was due to electrocution, she said the deaths of the elephants in the state have occurred due to poor management of the state Forest and Environment department and its failure in the inter-departmental coordination.

She said the Centre had formed A K Biswal Committee to prevent the elephants from electrocution and recommended specific guidelines in this regard for implementation.

“However, going by the number of deaths of the elephants in Odisha of which one-third of the deaths have occurred due to electrocution, it is amply clear that the state government has not implemented the recommendation of the committee in letter and spirit,” Maneka pointed out.

She urged the Chief Minister to urgently intervene in the matter and initiate stern action against the officials for violating the recommendation of the Committee.

Maneka Concerned Over Elephant Deaths In Odisha, Urges CM’s Intervention
Bhubaneswar Expressing grave concern over the rising number of deaths of elephants in Odisha, well-known animal rights activists and Union minister Maneka Gandhi has urged the state government to take expeditious steps to prevent such unfortunate incidents.

In a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday, Maneka said the electrocution of seven elephants at a time in Dhenkanal district on October 26 is the highest and the first incident in the country.

Stating that a total of 435 elephants have met untimely death in Odisha during 2011-17 of which 28 per cent (124) of the deaths is due to electrocution, she said the deaths of the elephants in the state have occurred due to poor management of the state Forest and Environment department and its failure in the inter-departmental coordination.

She said the Centre had formed AK Biswal Committee to prevent the elephants from electrocution and recommended specific guidelines in this regard for implementation.

“However, going by the number of deaths of the elephants in Odisha of which one-third of the deaths have occurred due to electrocution, it is amply clear that the state government has not implemented the recommendation of the committee in letter and spirit,” Maneka pointed out.

She urged the Chief Minister to urgently intervene in the matter and initiate stern action against the officials for violating the recommendation of the Committee.