As Odisha reported 22 deaths of elephants in the past three months, a three-member team, constituted by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), visited three wildlife divisions in the State and it would soon submit its report to the Ministry, an official said on August 29.
The team was led by Surendra Kumar, former Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife), while the two other members are Billal Habib, Scientist and H.V. Girisha, Joint Director of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.
The team visited Athagarh Forest Division, Dhenakanal Forest Division and Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Angul district on August 27 and 28.
On August 12, the committee was constituted by the MoEFCC to probe the deaths of elephants in Odisha and Jharkhand.
Odisha has recorded 22 elephant deaths, majority of them were believed due to poaching during June, July and August. In the last five days, four elephants died unnatural deaths in three different places. In June, eight elephants were found dead and seven each in July and August.
“This is the worst disastrous phase for Odisha’s elephants after 2010 when 14 elephants died in Similipal Biosphere. The system of patrolling to check movement of poachers in forest has collapsed. Senior forest officers are busy development eco-tourism spots giving least priority to prevent wildlife deaths,” alleged Biswajit Mohanty, Secretary of Wildlife Society of Orissa (WSO), an environmental pressure group.
Mr. Mohanty said, “there is absolutely no accountability for loss of wild animals in the State. Despite elephants dying in large number and revelation of smuggling of wildlife such as pangolins and leopards, the government has not taken any disciplinary action against higher officials.”
As reports of elephant carcasses being buried in Athagarh division came to the fore, field-level officials had absconded. The State government had entrusted a Special Task Force of the State crime branch of police to investigate discovery of elephant bodies.
Hearing a public interest litigation, a Division Bench of the Orissa High Court comprising Chief Justice S. Muralidhar and Justice R.K. Pattanaik expressed its strong displeasure over tardy progress of criminal cases filed concerning to elephant poaching cases.
The Orissa HC recently gave its approval to constitution of committee involving personnel of forest and police department for expeditious investigation and trial of wildlife crime cases.
