Guidelines issued to prevent deaths of elephants

Madurai: S Kalanithi, Megamalai wildlife division’s warden and officer-in-charge of Venniyar reserve forest near Cumbum, Theni district, on Thursday, submitted a report before the Madurai bench of the Madras high court stating that efforts were under way to alter the electric lines in the forests to prevent electrocution of elephants in future. The bench had earlier taken suo motu cognizance of a newspaper report on the electrocution of five elephants at the same spot in the Vanniyar reserve forest near Cumbum range and issued directions to the authorities to change the low-lying electric wires in the reserve forest. An elephant and her calf was electrocuted on June 19 this year and on September 4, a nine-year-old elephant was electrocuted. On November 24, two elephants were found dead at the same spot and the cause of death was said to be electrocution, the report stated. On Thursday, Kalanithi submitted the report stating that they have suggested guidelines issued by the National Board of wildlife to Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Limited (TANTRANSCO) to prevent electrocution death of elephants. According to the guidelines, the height at the lowest point of wires of power lines passing through all natural areas with known presence or movement of elephants shall be a minimum of 20 feet (6.6 meters) above ground on level terrain and a minimum of 30 feet (9.1 meter) above ground on steeper terrain. In between towers 47 and 48 crossing through Venniar reserve forest, the high voltage lines are very low lying (7-10 feet) for more than 50 meters, warden stated and submitted that an additional tower may be erected or the existing tower height shall be increased to increase the ground clearance to above 20 feet.

Until rectification of the low lying electric high tension lines, temporary discontinuation of electric supply was suggested and the same was accepted by TANTRANSCO.

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