The Odisha Government and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) hosted a consultative meeting here on Friday to discuss strategies to mitigate the negative effects of linear infrastructure on elephants and other wildlife.
The discussions primarily focussed on strengthening the policy guidelines for avoiding, reducing and mitigating the adverse impacts of linear infrastructure such as power lines, canals, pipelines and railways on wildlife.
One of the major concerns of linear intrusions is the alarming mortality rate of elephants, with approximately 45 to 50 elephants dying due to electrocution annually in India, and over 367 elephants falling victim due to train accidents since 1987 alone. Deliberations on finding solutions to mitigate elephant deaths from electrocution were central to the discussion.
Notably, Odisha is home to over 1,900 elephants spanning three elephant reserves and having 12 identified elephant corridors. While these majestic animals roam freely across the country’s vast landscapes, they face challenges in their right to move across their natural habitats.
In the meeting presided over by Manoj Nair, APCCF Wildlife, Odisha Forest Department, stakeholders from the Forest Department, East Coast Railway, Electricity Board and Irrigation Department were present.
