Out of 75 elephant deaths last year, 48 died of electrocution: Govt

As many as 75 elephant deaths were reported in the country last year of which 48 died of electrocution, the government told the Lok Sabha Friday.

To a query raised in the lower house of Parliament on elephant deaths, the environment ministry said that 48 wild elephants lost their lives after being electrocuted and 13 died in train accidents till December 2018.

The number of elephant deaths in 2018 was lower compared to 2017 when 105 elephants died with 66 of them being electrocuted, the ministry said.

According to the government, five elephants were killed in poaching incidents in 2018, which was 10 in 2017.

A total of 75 elephants died in 2018, it said, adding a total of 373 elephants have died between 2015 and 2018.

Mahesh Sharma, Minster of State in the environment ministry told the Lok Sabha that inquiries have been conducted into death of wild elephants and FIRs have also been lodged.

The government also said that 227 people were killed by wild elephants in 16 states last year. Out of these 16 states, Assam had the maximum number of human deaths due to wild elephants at 86, followed by Odisha and West Bengal at 45.

The government said Rs 5.50 crore was spent as compensation for the loss of life in the 16 states till the end of 2018, with the highest amount being provided in Odisha which received Rs 2.94 crores.

The government data showed zero amount being given to Assam for human deaths.

The data also revealed that Rs 9.19 crore has been paid by the Centre as compensation for the loss of crop or damage to property due to elephants in the 16 states.