The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has lashed out at the Odisha forest department in its report for failing to protect elephants’ lives.

The CAG has found several lapses with the forest department that have contributed to the deaths of elephants, including in the core area of the forests of Odisha.

Elephants have died either because of electrocution or for other reasons, including falling prey to poachers. During the past 10 years, while poachers killed 41 elephants, 719 pachyderms died because of other reasons.

On Thursday, a 14-year-old female elephant’s carcass was found under the Betnoti reservoir in Mayurbhanj. The elephant died after coming in contact with a wire.

The carcass of another elephant was found on Friday in Kalahandi district. The iconic elephant of the Chandaka Forest Reservoir died last month because of electrocution.

In its report, the CAG pointed out that the elephant is listed under Scheduled-I of the Wild Life Protection Act 1972, which records maximum protection for the species.

In Odisha, app-based monitoring through integrated wildlife management systems, web geometric information system portals, drones and bulk supply management services, and early warning systems are widely used for tracking the movement of elephants in various divisions.

Apart from this, protection-related infrastructure, hired vehicles and other logistics are provided throughout the year to facilitate staff and squad to carry out regular patrolling.

Despite all these measures, the number of deaths could not be checked and it remained a concern.

On scrutiny, the audit observed various contributing factors for the death of elephants such as a deficit in foot patrolling in the forest areas according to the Odisha forest management system data, non-utilisation of trap cameras at proper places, inadequate deployment of elephant squads, lack of weapons and no action against field staff for lapses in reporting of the poaching and the poachers.

It also pointed out the deaths of elephants had been reported because of electrocution caused by illegal hooking and sagging lines.

It has taken some sample studies and has questioned why no elephant corridors have been constructed.