Hunters laying live electric traps to lose power connection: Odisha Dy CM

Any household involved in employing deadly live wire traps to kill the wildlife will face disconnection of their domestic power supply. This was warned by the Energy Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo on Wednesday.

Authorities have intensified efforts to combat illegal poaching practices, with a specific focus on the troubling use of electric traps. The Energy Minister highlighted the harmful impact that the deaths of wild animals, such as boars and elephants, can have on the State's national repute. This decisive move signifies a stringent no-tolerance policy.

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Singh Deo also urged local legislators to remain vigilant and actively monitor any such illegal activities, aiming to protect the State's wildlife and improve its conservation standing.

Worth mentioning, a leopard's death at Deogaon under Komna range of Nuapada district on November 16 raised concerns amid the recent death of three elephants in Sambalpur. The leopard was electrocuted at Pati Dangar near the village when it came in contact with a wire trap set up for wild boar hunting.

Reports indicate that the found carcass was severely mutilated, with the leopard's body parts missing. Residents in Deogaon, including Pustam Chinda and Hrushikesh Chinda, were alleged to have been involved in this crime.

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Nuapada forest personnel raided the village, seizing the leopard's head, hide, and meat during the probe. It is said that those involved had previously hunted a wild boar.

Amid allegations that the leopard was killed and the wild animal’s meat was consumed by the poachers in the district, PCCF (Wildlife) Susanta Nanda previously appealed to the people of Odisha to socially boycott such wrongdoers with a gruesome mindset.