The buried remains of a female wild elephant were recovered in the Numaligarh Refinery Limited's (NRL) Township near Kaziranga National Park on Friday (July 19) morning causing widespread outrage among conservationists. The officials of the refinery have been accused of attempting to cover up the matter.
NRL Liaison Officer Mintu Handique reported that the elephant was electrocuted on July 18 in the Butterfly Park within the NRL Township. "Elephants frequent the township due to the adjacent habitat. It appears the elephant encountered an exposed electrical wire, resulting in its death. Fearing repercussions, some staff buried the remains. Upon being informed, management intervened and contacted forest officials to avoid violating wildlife laws," Handique told Down To Earth.
NRL officials confirmed that the forest department is investigating the allegations.
Golaghat Divisional Forest Officer Sushil Kumar Thakuria stated that they consider the incident a wildlife crime. "We were notified on the evening of July 18, but due to darkness, we could only recover the remains on the morning of July 19. The burial of the elephant without informing forest officials is being investigated as a wildlife crime," Thakuria added. He mentioned that the cause of death would be determined after a post-mortem examination.
Environmental activist and journalist Apurba Ballav Goswami demanded justice for those responsible for burying the elephant. "Elephants are protected under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. The electrocution and subsequent cover-up at an oil refinery township warrant severe punishment under the Act. These electrical lines, carelessly laid by NRL, caused the incident. Elephants frequently visit this area, highlighting the need for a thorough investigation," Goswami said.
NRL Township, located about 20 kilometers from Kaziranga National Park, has faced controversies due to negative human-elephant interactions. NRL's expansion plans, including a golf course through the elephant habitat, led to the construction of a 2.2-kilometre-long wall in 2014. In August 2016, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered the demolition of the wall built over the Deopahar Elephant Corridor and fined NRL Rs 25 lakh for environmental damage. NGT also mandated compensatory afforestation for the trees felled during the township's construction.
Despite review petitions by NRL in the NGT and appeals to the Supreme Court and Gauhati High Court, all petitions were rejected. The Golaghat district administration began demolishing a portion of the wall in April 2024. Wildlife activist and former State Board of Wildlife Member Mubina Akhtar stated that NGT's orders have not been fully complied with. "The NGT ordered compensatory afforestation and removal of structures from the Deopahar wildlife corridor. However, these directives remain unfulfilled. This incident occurred because NRL Township encroached on an elephant habitat," Akhtar said.
As the forest department investigates the elephant's death, Assam continues to record increasing cases of fatalities among humans and elephants, crop raiding, and house destruction. A recent study published in the Biodiversity and Conservation Journal revealed that, on average, 80 elephants and 70 humans die each year due to negative human-elephant interactions in Assam.
