Buried Remains Of Wild Elephant Found In NRL Township Sparks Outrage
Buried Remains Of Wild Elephant Found In NRL Township Sparks Outrage
Pratidin Time
July 20, 2024
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https://www.pratidintime.com/latest-assam-news-breaking-news-assam/buried-remains-of-wild-elephant-found-in-nrl-township-sparks-outrage
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The buried remains of a female wild elephant were recovered in the
Numaligarh Refinery Limited's (NRL) Township near Kaziranga National Park
on Friday (July 19) morning causing widespread outrage among
conservationists. The officials of the refinery have been accused of
attempting to cover up the matter.
NRL Liaison Officer Mintu Handique reported that the elephant was
electrocuted on July 18 in the Butterfly Park within the NRL Township.
"Elephants frequent the township due to the adjacent habitat. It appears
the elephant encountered an exposed electrical wire, resulting in its
death. Fearing repercussions, some staff buried the remains. Upon being
informed, management intervened and contacted forest officials to avoid
violating wildlife laws," Handique told Down To Earth.
NRL officials confirmed that the forest department is investigating the
allegations.
Golaghat Divisional Forest Officer Sushil Kumar Thakuria stated that they
consider the incident a wildlife crime. "We were notified on the evening of
July 18, but due to darkness, we could only recover the remains on the
morning of July 19. The burial of the elephant without informing forest
officials is being investigated as a wildlife crime," Thakuria added. He
mentioned that the cause of death would be determined after a post-mortem
examination.
Environmental activist and journalist Apurba Ballav Goswami demanded
justice for those responsible for burying the elephant. "Elephants are
protected under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. The
electrocution and subsequent cover-up at an oil refinery township warrant
severe punishment under the Act. These electrical lines, carelessly laid by
NRL, caused the incident. Elephants frequently visit this area,
highlighting the need for a thorough investigation," Goswami said.
NRL Township, located about 20 kilometers from Kaziranga National Park, has
faced controversies due to negative human-elephant interactions. NRL's
expansion plans, including a golf course through the elephant habitat, led
to the construction of a 2.2-kilometre-long wall in 2014. In August 2016,
the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered the demolition of the wall built
over the Deopahar Elephant Corridor and fined NRL Rs 25 lakh for
environmental damage. NGT also mandated compensatory afforestation for the
trees felled during the township's construction.
Despite review petitions by NRL in the NGT and appeals to the Supreme Court
and Gauhati High Court, all petitions were rejected. The Golaghat district
administration began demolishing a portion of the wall in April 2024.
Wildlife activist and former State Board of Wildlife Member Mubina Akhtar
stated that NGT's orders have not been fully complied with. "The NGT
ordered compensatory afforestation and removal of structures from the
Deopahar wildlife corridor. However, these directives remain unfulfilled.
This incident occurred because NRL Township encroached on an elephant
habitat," Akhtar said.
As the forest department investigates the elephant's death, Assam continues
to record increasing cases of fatalities among humans and elephants, crop
raiding, and house destruction. A recent study published in the
Biodiversity and Conservation Journal revealed that, on average, 80
elephants and 70 humans die each year due to negative human-elephant
interactions in Assam.