Dehradun, 15 Oct: In a deeply disturbing development, yet another elephant has died in Haridwar Forest Division, making it the fourth such fatality within a span of just one week. The latest incident has intensified scrutiny over the operational effectiveness of the forest division, especially as it occurred barely a day after the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) released its DNA-based elephant census report, hailed as the first of its kind in the country. It may be pertinent to note here that the census estimates India now has 22,446 wild elephants, down from 29,964 in 2017, representing a decline of about 25 percent over eight years, which is a matter of grave concern.
While the forest authorities and wildlife institutions expressed satisfaction over the successful completion of the DNA-based census, the death of a young elephant in the Bahadrabad area of Haridwar Range has cast a major shadow over the celebrations. The elephant, estimated to be around 45 years of age, reportedly died due to electrocution, prompting the forest department to initiate a formal investigation. Alarmingly, this marks the second suspected electrocution among the four elephant deaths recorded in Haridwar Division since 26 September. So far, no one has been held responsible for any of these deaths in the division.
PCCF Wildlife RK Mishra has confirmed that the elephant came into contact with a wire affixed to an electric pole in Bahadrabad. According to Mishra, the animal likely brushed against a support wire attached to the pole, which caused the structure to bend. The elephant then came into contact with the live wire on the lowered pole, resulting in its death. In response, Mishra has directed the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Haridwar Division to intensify patrolling in vulnerable areas and instructed Conservator of Forest Rajiv Dhiman to issue a strongly worded letter to the electricity department, demanding accountability and corrective action.
On the other hand, DFO, Haridwar, Swapnil Anirudh has claimed that the electric pole had bent due to subsidence, land displacement in the area, which led to the elephant’s fatal contact with the exposed wire. His remarks suggest that the electricity department had failed to address the structural issue in a timely manner, thereby contributing to the accident. However, a definitive accountability for the incident can only be established following a joint inquiry by the forest and electricity departments.
The tragedy has also brought to light the broader issue of unauthorised electrical wiring in agricultural fields adjacent to the forest zones. The forest department has raised concerns over the poor maintenance of electric poles and the absence of safety mechanisms in forested areas, which pose a persistent threat to wildlife. A formal communication has been sent to the electricity department, urging action against individuals who install electric wires in their fields without requisite permissions, in violation of existing regulations. Wildlife experts also claim that in Haridwar division, some villagers have deliberately installed dangerous electric poles and that has resulted in some deaths of elephants in the area recently.
Preparations are underway for the elephant’s post-mortem examination, and its viscera will be sent for laboratory testing to ascertain the precise cause of death. Following the incident, PCCF Wildlife and Conservator of Forest Shivalik rushed to the site, and the DFO has also conducted a detailed survey of the location.
