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Baripada: A day after a tusker was electrocuted after coming in contact with an 11kv wire in Sunaposi forest under Baripada forest division, the forest department Thursday squarely blamed the energy department for the incident. The department filed a complaint against a junior engineer (JE) of the power distribution company concerned.
Officials of both the departments had exchanged words through a WhatApp group and even had telephonic conversations about the presence of the elephant in the forest. However, no preventive measure was taken by the energy department, as a result of which the animal was electrocuted, a forest official said.
After preliminary investigation, the forest department lodged a complaint against JE Padma Kishore Jena.
Meanwhile, the forest department conducted post-mortem of the elephant’s carcass following which it was buried. The tusker was believed to be 12 years old.
In the wake of the tragic electrocution of seven elephants in Dhenkanal district, the department was on its toes in Mayurbhanj district. Two elephants had strayed from Similipal about 20 days ago and had been wandering in the Sunaposi forest. The forest department had kept a watch on them and had alerted the energy department about the animals as high tension wires were sagging at two places in Sunaposi area.
Later, a forest guard had informed JE Jena posted at Kulana over telephone at 5.39 pm Wednesday, but the latter did not take it seriously, sources in the forest department said. The guard had suggested disconnecting power supply in the area.
It was said that the elephant came in contact with the sagging wire at 6 pm and died.
Superintending engineer Rajib Nayak said, “There was no movement of elephants for years in the area. The tusker died in a reserve forest about 400 metres away from a human habitation. His department will look into the matter. Those guilty of dereliction of duty will be taken to task.”
He also explained that whenever power transmission is shut down on the advice of the forest department, they have to face the fury of locals. Sometimes, the staff of the energy department were confused what to do, Nayak added.