Jamshedpur: In a decisive step towards wildlife protection, the district administration has directed that all electricity lines passing through forest areas and elephant corridors will be raised to the prescribed standard height. The decision was taken in a high-level meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner Karn Satyarthi at the Collectorate, where officials of the Forest, Revenue, Electricity and other related departments were present.
The meeting was convened to review the safety of elephants and other wildlife, particularly in view of the frequent incidents of electrocution caused by low-hanging power lines in forest regions. The Deputy Commissioner made it clear that no negligence would be tolerated when it comes to wildlife safety.
During the meeting, several important decisions were finalized: Power lines in elephant movement areas will be upgraded to ensure they are at the required height. Insulated cables will be installed in vulnerable stretches to minimize risks. Wildlife-friendly designs will be adopted for all new electrical infrastructure in forest zones.
A district-level monitoring committee, constituted as per state government directives, will regularly inspect and review the progress of these works.
The Deputy Commissioner issued strict instructions to the Electricity Department to implement these measures in a time-bound manner. He emphasized that structural safety in elephant corridors is a long-term solution that must be carried out with seriousness and coordination across departments.
The Forest Department was directed to strengthen ground-level monitoring. Personnel will carry out frequent patrolling in high elephant-movement areas and work with local communities to spread awareness about wildlife safety. The DC underlined the importance of community participation, stressing that villagers are the first line of cooperation in preventing human-wildlife conflict.
The meeting also reviewed compliance with earlier directives, pointing out areas where corrective action is still pending. The Deputy Commissioner warned departments against delays and instructed that progress reports be submitted regularly to the monitoring committee.
Reiterating the administration’s commitment, Karn Satyarthi said protecting elephants and other wildlife is not only a legal responsibility but also a moral duty of society. He urged all departments to work with full dedication to ensure that forest areas and elephant corridors remain safe for wildlife movement.
