BHOPAL: Yet another wild elephant casualty has been reported from Madhya Pradesh the 12th death of a tusker within a month in the central Indian state.The latest casualty occurred in Majhtolwa Kuan village in eastern MP’s Maihar district, close to the border with the adjoining Shahdol district.A 7-8-year-old semi-adult elephant, part of a four-strong herd, died after its trunk came into contact with an 11 KV wire line, which was hanging very low, at a height of 6-10 feet.“Our team had been continuously monitoring the herd’s movements. The herd entered our area through the adjoining North Shahdol range in Shahdol district. Early on Friday, we were informed by the villagers in Majhtolwa Kuan village about the elephant’s death. Our team rushed to the agricultural field, where a primary investigation revealed that the death was caused by electrocution when the tusker’s trunk made contact with the low-hanging 11 KV wireline. The dead elephant’s trunk had burn injuries, suggesting it had come into contact with the wireline, leading to electrocution,” DFO-Satna Mayank Chandiwal told the newspaper.According to informed official sources, residents of the area in Maihar district have long complained to the MP Electricity Board (MPEB) staff about old and twisted electric poles and wirelines running at a very low height, but no action has been taken to address the issue. The ideal height for the wireline should be more than 15 feet, sources added.“We’ve requested the Maihar district collector to promptly address the issue, as there is continued movement of wild elephant herds from the adjoining Shahdol district, which forms part of the Sanjay Dubri National Park and Tiger Reserve one of the entry points for elephant herds entering eastern MP from Chhattisgarh,” DFO-Satna added.Importantly, the Friday morning death of the male elephant is the 12th wild elephant casualty in the state since October 29.Earlier, ten elephants (nine of them females, two of which were pregnant) died in the forests of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) in Umaria district between October 29 and October 31, due to possible mycotoxin poisoning caused by excessive intake of standing Kodo millet crop.A week later, on November 8, an ill and weak elephant calf, possibly abandoned by its herd, died during treatment at the Hathi Camp of the BTR.Meanwhile, Bhopal-based wildlife activist Ajay Dubey wrote on Friday to Union Environment and Forest Minister Bhupender Yadav regarding the latest elephant casualty.Demanding intervention by the central government and the constitution of a high-level inquiry committee to investigate the death, Dubey mentioned in the letter: “After a herd of 27 elephants from Chhattisgarh entered MP through the Sanjay Dubri Tiger Reserve on November 10, their movement has been reported in Shahdol and Maihar districts. A day after the herd entered MP, the then MP principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF-Wildlife) VN Ambade had written to senior officials in Rewa division, including the Rewa divisional commissioner and the chief conservator of forests (CCF-Rewa), to ensure the safety of the elephant herd.
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