A boat carrying personnel of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and journalists overturned near the Mundali Bridge in Cuttack district on Friday. It was was sent to rescue an elephant stranded in the flood water of Mahanadi.

Two journalists were fished out and taken to hospital in a serious condition while efforts were on to rescue ODRAF personnel.

Early on Friday, the tusker was found stuck near the bridge after it got separated from a herd of 17 that was trying to cross the river. Forest Department officials, ODRAF and fire service personnel were mobilised to rescue the elephant.

Constantly repelled by the strong flood water, the elephant tried to walk ashore. But, it remained stranded for more than 9 hours.

Since the forest department was clueless as to how to bring the elephant to a safer position, a boat carrying ODRAF personnel was sent to drive it near shore. A journalist and a camera person boarded it. National Disaster Rapid Force (NDRF) personnel were pressed into service for the rescue.

“The 17-member herd was coming from the Sukasen Forest of Athagarh Forest Division to Chandka Forest. They swim across the Mahanadi regularly. It’s their regular migration route,” said Sangram Behera, Assistant Conservator of Forests of the Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary.

While eight managed to cross the river and reach Chandaka, two were swept away to Anantpur. Nine others moved towards Dhabaleswar, he stated.

Jayant Mardharaj, environmentalist and member of State Biodiversity Board, said, “The forest areas of both Chandaka and Athagarh division fall in the development zone of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Athagarh urban areas. Earlier, elephants were not having any problem in migrating from Athagarh to Chandaka. Now, farm houses have come up along Mahanadi bank, restricting their movement”.

Migration corridors notification

The government should immediately notify elephant migration corridors and control development in those areas. “If development is not regulated, elephants are likely to face similar crisis in future,” he warned.

Recently, the National Green Tribunal Eastern Zone directed State government to notify 14 elephant corridors and the action plan for elephant conservation.

In 2010, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) informed that 14 corridors were identified with a total area of 870.61 sq. km., having a length of 420.8 km and a width of 0.08 km to 4.6 km.

Subsequently, the PCCF (Wildlife) formally submitted a proposal to the State Forest and Environment Department to notify 14 traditional elephant corridors under the provisions of Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. However, they were yet to be notified.