Assam's Numaligarh Refinery in dock after burying 'electrocuted' elephant; NGO demands action

The refinery said carcass was buried to avoid the herd and was done so without informing the authorities.

Guwahati: Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), a central PSU, has come under fire from forest personnel and wildlife activists after the carcass of a wild elephant was allegedly buried by its staff inside its campus without informing the forest department.

The female elephant reportedly died after coming in contact with an electric wire inside the butterfly park situated adjacent to the refinery on July 18. The carcass was buried at around 8 am but the forest staff were informed in the evening. The forest department exhumed the carcass on July 19 and conducted a port-mortem as per provisions in the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, which was amended in 2022.

The state forest department registered a case on Sunday after CM Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters in Guwahati that action would be initiated as per the Wildlife (Protection) Act.

Aaranyak, a biodiversity conservation group here, on Monday said burial of the elephant without informing the forest department was violation of the Section 39 and 9 of the Wildlife Protection Act 2022. "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. We call upon the authorities to take immediate action to address this situation," said the NGO in a statement on Monday.

The NGO said elephants are classified as Schedule-I animals under the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act 2022, and recognized as endangered species, besides the National Heritage Animal in the country, deserve the highest level of protection and respect. "This incident raises serious questions about the operational protocols of the Numaligarh Refinery Limited, its intention and commitment towards welfare of wildlife." "This event is a stark reminder of the ongoing threats faced by elephants in their natural habitat, particularly in the Golaghat district, which is part of a critical elephant corridor."

When asked by DH, NRL spokesperson Madhuchanda Adhikary on Monday said, "The elephant was buried fearing attack by the rest of the herd, which was present there. This was before the incident came to the notice of the management." "There was no intention to cover up the incident. We are extending full cooperation to the forest department in their investigation," she said.