Save Bengal Tigers from Electrocution

Five tigers have been killed by electrocution since December 2012; three of them in the forests of the Katni district in India.

In one death, the tigress was electrocuted after it came in contact with live electric line connected to an 11-KV high-tension line, connected to a pole that was only 8 feet tall instead of 27 feet. The electricity department re-erected a pole from its broken end instead of replacing it with a new one.

Wildlife officials believe that electricity has spread to rural areas without any supervision electric companies, and poachers are using homemade electrocution tripwires made from power lines. 61 elephants have been poached this way.

Section 149 of Electricity Act 2003, reads "Where an offence under this Act has been committed by a company, every person who at the time of offence committed was in charge of and was responsible to the company for the conduct of the business of the company, as well as the company shall be deemed to be guilty of having committed the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly."

We ask that the electric comany be held responsible for the deaths of endangered tigers. They have been long aware, and neglected several remedies, including building taller, more insulated power lines, to help ensure the safety of wildlife.

SOURCE: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/poachers-electrocute-tiger-near-bandhavgarh-reserve/1043280/