New power line rule throws lifeline to wild animals

The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has directed all power distribution companies and state electricity boards to retrospectively replace existing transmission lines with insulated cables or underground cables on a priority basis, in a move that could save hundreds of endangered animals from getting electrocuted.

The NBWL also directed states to set up reinforced electric poles fitted with spikes to prevent elephants in national parks and sanctuaries from rubbing against them and dismantle all defunct solar-powered fences.

The NBWL led by Union Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar recently met in New Delhi and accepted the recommendations of the task force constituted by the MoEF&CC as per the verdict of the Supreme Court.

According to the minutes of the 54th meeting, a copy of which has been accessed by DH, the board directed all states to carry out joint inspection of every transmission line passing through protected areas like national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, conservation and community reserves and eco-sensitive zones.

“Even though the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) had recommended eco-friendly measures to mitigate impacts of linear infrastructure on wildlife, the guidelines are silent about electrical transmission lines and hence the NBWL deliberated on it,” a top official from MoEF&CC said.

The board directed the states to hold a joint inspection of every transmission line passing through protected areas by officials of the energy department and forest department thrice in a year.

Focusing on electrocution deaths, the board resolved that all distribution companies shall use ‘aerial bunched cables’ or ‘underground cables’.

Besides, it also suggested to include a new section under Rule 59 of the CEA (Measures relating to the safety of and electric supply regulations-2010) for mandatory use of underground cables inside forest areas.

Karnataka, with 35 protected areas including 5 national parks and 30 wildlife sanctuaries, is home to 10 per cent of the total tiger population and 25 per cent of the elephant population of the country.

The state’s forests are crisscrossed with several crucial inter-state and intra-state transmission lines. On various occasions, the state has witnessed several animal casualties due to electrocution.

As per the data accessed by the forest department, as many as 22 elephants in Karnataka died due to electrocution either by coming in contact with transmission lines or due to electric fencing in the peripheral areas.

While Karnataka lost six elephants in 2016-17, the numbers shot up to 10 during 2017-18. During 2018-19 (up to November 2018), six elephants were electrocuted. Similarly, a considerable number of tigers and leopards has also died due to electrocution in protected areas.