RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh Forest Department suspended a Deputy Ranger and a Beat Guard in connection with the death of three female elephants due to electrocution in the Gharghoda range of Raigarh forest division three days ago. A Preliminary Offence Report (POR) was released, and the Chhattisgarh Power Company was informed about the incident.
The Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Raigarh, Stylo Mandavi, told TOI that Deputy Ranger Ajay Khes and Beat Guard Sanyasi Sidar were suspended for dereliction of duty.
“We released a POR in the matter, and the Chhattisgarh Power Company was informed about it,” she said. When asked about any action taken by the power company regarding the loose 11-KV live electric wire hanging at a height of 3-4 metres from the ground level, which led to the death of three elephants, including a calf aged 8-9 years and two elephants aged about 30-23 years, the DFO stated that the Power Company should ensure action against the staff responsible.
The three elephants were found dead in the forests of Raigarh division on Saturday morning.
According to the information received, in the Tamnar range of Raigarh district, on Saturday morning, the carcasses of elephants were found in the Chuhkimar forest department nursery of Samaruma range after they came in contact with the wire.
As soon as the information about this incident was received, the team of Tamnar and Gharghoda range, including the DFO along with the officials of Raigarh Forest Division, reached the spot.
The forest department team sent Achanakmar Tiger Reserve Field Director and Conservator of Forest Manoj Pandey to the spot for an inspection and to submit the report to the department. According to Pandey, he submitted his report to the department.
Initial investigation also revealed that the nursery in-charge of the forest department complained many times to the local employees of the electricity department about the 11KV line wire being down, but despite this, no initiative was taken in this regard, resulting in this incident.
In the investigation by the forest department, it was also found that a herd of around 40 elephants was roaming in the Gharghoda range when the incident occurred, and the concerned Beat Guard did not monitor properly in view of the safety of the elephants. After serious negligence was found in this matter, the Raigarh DFO suspended the Beat Guard and the Deputy Ranger.
According to the DFO, after taking departmental action, the negligence of the electricity department also came to light in this incident. In such a situation, a notice was sent to the officials of the Gharghoda electricity department for this. Along with this, an explanation was sought so that further action could be taken in this matter.
