Sagging power lines claim 5th elephant in eight months in Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru-Hassan belt Niranjan Kaggere, The Times of India April 2, 2025 See link <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/sagging-power-lines-claim-5th-elephant-in-eight-months-in-karnatakas-chikkamagaluru-hassan-belt/articleshowprint/119915704.cms> for photo. Bengaluru: The rising incidents of human-animal conflict took a new twist on Tuesday following the death of a 35-year-old elephant at Tanigebail forest range in Tarikere taluk of Chikkamagaluru district. The sudden death of the elephant left the forest officials worried as the same forest range witnessed public unrest after a 58-year-old farmer was trampled to death on Sunday. However, the officials suspect that the elephant involved in the trampling incident died of electrocution at the forest range. This is not the only case of elephant electrocution in the region. Sources in the forest department said the Tanigebail one was the fifth such incident in eight months, while pointing fingers at the lapse of the protocol laid down by the high court pertaining to conservation of elephants. The high court had directed both the energy and forest departments, while hearing multiple PILs on the electrocution of elephants, to coordinate with each other to ensure safety of elephants from transmission lines. "The elephant electrocutions have been reported from Belur, Tarikere, and Muthodi forest ranges in the vicinity of Bhadra Tiger Reserve where the govt is planning to set up a soft release centre to rehabilitate problematic elephants from the wild," said a wildlife volunteer from Shivamogga. An elephant had died of electrocution at Kolagame in Muthodi in Aug 2024. Subsequently, another elephant died of electrocution near Kanchikal Durga, followed by another death at a coffee plantation in Aldur. In Dec 2024, an elephant died in a gorge after it was electrocuted at Lingadahalli in Tarikere taluk. Subhash Malkhede, chief wildlife warden and principal chief conservator of forests, said they have had multiple meetings with the Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (Mescom) over the issue. "There have been guidelines and protocols directed by the high court. Accordingly, we have informed them about possible low-hanging transmission lines and those that are sagging. However, the electrical engineers failed to correct them, resulting in frequent electrocution incidents. This is indeed a tragic incident," he said. Jayakumar R, managing director, Mescom, admitted that the transmission line in Tanigebailu was old. "Our engineers found that the forest officials, after digging an elephant-proof trench, dumped the excavated soil near the location, forming a mound. As the elephant climbed on top of this mound to pluck a jackfruit, the height between the ground and transmission line was reduced. In fact, the elephant broke the pole, and lines were snapped, bringing the animal into direct contact with the wire," he added. However, Jayakumar said based on the forest department's recommendations, they have identified old and sagging lines in Lingadahalli and Lakkavalli of Chikkamagaluru district, and an action plan has been prepared to address the issue. "We have prepared a detailed project report for a Rs 90-lakh project to replace these old wires and conductors, and we'll take up work on those lines to avert incidents," he said. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/sagging-power-lines-claim-5th-elephant-in-eight-months-in-karnatakas-chikkamagaluru-hassan-belt/articleshowprint/119915704.cms