Chennai, May 6 A male elephant was found dead in a dry lake near the Noganur Reserve Forest in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu on Monday.
The Krishnagiri district wildlife warden in a statement said that the elephant had probably come in contact with a low lying power line and was electrocuted.
The wildlife warden of Krishnagiri, K. Karthikeyani while speaking to media persons said that the elephant was suspected to be killed on Sunday night.
A post-mortem of the elephant would be conducted as per the Elephant Death Audit Framework. The wildlife warden said that the lake where the elephant was found dead had dried up and that during monsoon season, the lake had ample water and hence, the low-lying power line was not visible.
She also said that all the low-lying power lines in the area were rectified earlier in association with Tamil Nadu State Electricity Board.
The Tamil Nadu government has brought out a draft proposal for constituting elephant corridors in the state for the free movement of elephants. However political parties have opposed the move stating that this would lead to relocation of local people from the region. The AIADMK has already declared that it would conduct agitation if the proposed elephant corridors lead to relocation and rehabilitation of people.
Ravishankar Sethu, a wildlife activist, while speaking with IANS said: "The draft note of the elephant corridor was released in public by the Tamil Nadu government on April 29, and ever since, political parties are on the path of agitation against the proposed number of elephant corridors. If proper elephant corridors are not constituted, such incidents of elephants getting killed due to power lines will repeat and also, there will be an increase in elephant-human conflict.”
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