Hanur solar power plant booked for elephant\'s death caused by electrocution

Chamarajanagar: A solar power plant run by Ecoren Cardea Power Private Limited in Hanur of Chamarajnagar has been booked over the death of a tusker in its premises at Sirigodu a fringe village close to P.G. Palya range of Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary on Thursday.

It is said that the tusker might have died of electrocution on Wednesday night after it strayed into the area for grazing and got electrocuted. The incident came to light on Thursday morning.

The elephant is said to have aged around 30 and forest officials who inspected the spot found snapped live wire in the solar plant premises and suspected that the tusker had come into contact with the live wire and died on the spot.

Sources told Deccan Chronicle that an employee of the solar plant had drawn power from an electric pole to fence surrounding a patch of jower grown area and that the wire snapped killing the jumbo while other official sources stated that they are investigating whether power line was drawn from the solar plant or from a nearby electric pole.

Deputy Conservator of Forests, MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary V. Yedukondalu said a case will be booked against Ecoren Cardea and the plant belonged to Dharmaveera, a native of Hagaribommanahalli in Ballari district.

Senior forest officials took to task forest watchers over the electrocution death and blamed that forest watchers have not kept an eye on the illegal fencing of fields.