urgent protection of elephants asked HC.

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Urgent protection of elephants asked HC.

   Orissa high court asked the state government to complete the approval of the comprehensive action plan for conservation of elephants and mitigation of human elephant conflict in Odisha. 

   Observing that the problem requires urgent attention, the HC asked the high powered committee through the chief secretary to immediately take up the issue of approval of the comprehensive action plan without delay preferably within a period of two weeks from today.

     While setting the deadline, the two judge bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice M S Raman said.This is ensure that the action plan is immediately rolled out and action points are worked out on the basis of such action plan that has been drawn up after consulting a wide range of experts and the inputs of others as suggested by the court.

   While a draft copy of the action plan was submitted along with an affidavit by the chief conservator of forests(wildlife) and chairman of joint task force(JTF) Manoj Nair,the court was informed that it requires approval of the high powered committee.

   The bench directed the JTF to file an affidavit on the action points drawn up on the basis of the comprehensive action plan before March 13,the next date fixed for hearing.

    In his affidavit, Nair said the action plan envisaged a zone based approach including four zones - elephant conservation zone,elephant human coexistence zones, conflict mitigation zone and elephant removal/exclusion zone.

   Separate strategies have been worked out for protection enforcement and prosecution as well as improving elephant habitat, corridor and Connectivity, people's participation, education  and awareness. 

  The action plan also included habitat management for increased productivity which would involve improving the habitats,bamboo plantation and elephant food plants,water sources,apart from. forest fire control,Nair said.

   According to the action plan,one major concern in the past few months has been the rise in death of elephants due to electrocution.

    In order to tackle the issue,the action plan proposes to involve the power distribution companies to provide solar fencing using the recently launched Jana SurKhya and Gaja Sathi schemes.Use of portable or removable solR fences(which have been found to be effective in Sri Lanka) in selected areas has been suggested,Nair said.

     The court had clubbed the hearing of four separate PILs filed by Gita Rout(2022),Mrinalini Padhi(2015),Balmoral Mishra(2013) and Dwijs Dalpati(2015) highlighting the death of elephants due to poaching.