Guwahati, July 24: Two officials of Numaligarh Oil Refinery (NRL) have been detained by the Golaghat forest department in connection with the burial of the carcass of an elephant, which died of electrocution on the refinery campus, without notifying the forest department, in gross violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (as amended in 2022), reports stated on Wednesday.
According to reports, the NRL officials, Ujjwal Nayan Handique and Bedanga Kashyap, were detained after interrogation at the Golaghat regional forest officer’s office on Wednesday afternoon.
Notably, a female wild elephant had died after it came in contact with an exposed power cable within the butterfly park adjacent to the refinery on July 18. The carcass was thereafter buried on the refinery campus without notifying the forest department.
According to reports, the forest department had exhumed the carcass and conducted a port-mortem the next day, in accordance with the provisions in the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, amended in 2022.
Subsequently, a case was registered and an investigation initiated by the department under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
The incident had triggered widespread outrage with various organisations staging protests and demanding an inquiry.
Aaranyak, a member of the State Board of Wildlife, Assam and former member of National Board of Wildlife, had expressed concern and outrage, stating that the incident was a stark reminder of the threats faced by elephants in their natural habitats, particularly in Golaghat district, which is part of a critical elephant corridor.
“This incident raises serious questions about the operational protocols of NRL, its intention and commitment towards welfare of wildlife. The illegal disposal of the elephant’s carcass not only undermines the legal framework designed to protect endangered species but also reflects a concerning disregard for the ecological integrity of the region,” the organisation stated on Monday.
“We call upon the authorities to take immediate action to address this situation and urge for filing of a complaint case against NRL for violation of Section 39 and Section 9 of the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act 2022. At the same time, a thorough investigation needs to be instituted into the circumstances surrounding the elephant’s death and the illegal burial to gather evidence related to the complaint,” it stated.