SC notice to Centre, States on PIL relating to elephant deaths due to electrocution

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Centre and State governments on a PIL filed seeking implementation of the environment ministry's guidelines to prevent electrocution of elephants in the country.

A Bench of Chief Justice of India, Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli sought response from the governments on a PIL filed by one Prerna Singh Bindra.

The plea highlighted the rise in the number of unnatural death of elephants, primarily due to electrocution.

The petition pointed out that the recent data submitted in the Lok Sabha by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change shows that these numbers have been steadily increasing - from 56 electrocution deaths in 2016-17 to 81 deaths in 2018-19.

It said that the Centre has recently in response to an RTI application has responded that from 2009 to 2020, in total 741 elephants have died due to electrocution.

The plea said that the problem has been recognised by expert bodies set up by the MoEF&CC itself, such as the Elephant Task Force's 2010 report 'Gajah', which identified the death of elephants in incidents of deliberate and accidental electrocution as "one of the most common causes of elephant deaths in India".

It sought direction from MoEF&CC to effectively implement the relevant recommendations of the 'Gajah' report of 2010 and implement points of the recommendations of the Task Force as accepted by the Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife in its 54th meeting dated July 18, 2019.

It further issued direction to the Centre and States, to begin with immediate effect the insulation of high voltage power transmission lines passing through Protected Areas (Wildlife Sanctuaries, National Parks, Community Reserves and Conservation Reserves), Elephant Reserves, identified Elephant Corridors and known areas of elephant movement.

The PIL prayed that directions be issued to governments to ensure that the laying of new power transmission lines within Protected Areas be henceforth be permitted only in those cases where there are absolutely no alternatives available.

"Issue directions to discontinue use of electric fencing within and around Protected Areas (except low voltage solar electric fencing to safeguard Forest Department outposts) and designated Elephant Corridors outside Protected Areas," plea added.

( With inputs from ANI )

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