Show-cause notice to DFO over elephant’s death

Bhubaneswar:The Odisha government has issued a show-cause notice to the DFO of Baliguda Forest Division in Kandhamal district, asking him to explain within 15 days why disciplinary action should not be initiated against him over the killing of an elephant and an alleged attempt to cover up the incident.

The notice was served to Ghanashyam Mahanta, an Odisha Forest Service (OFS) officer, posted as the Divisional Forest Officer, Baliguda Forest Division, on February 13. Earlier, four persons were arrested and a forest ranger placed under suspension after it was found that the elephant had been killed, its carcass cut into pieces, and buried at different locations. The incident took place in January. In the notice, the DFO was accused of negligence and dereliction of statutory duty. “It is surprising to note that being the Divisional Forest Officer, you came to know of the incident only after nine days, and that too through the media,” it said, adding that the DFO was required to visit the site immediately as per guidelines.

Officials claimed that Mahanta had sent Assistant Conservator of Forest Suryakanta Behera to conduct an inquiry instead of personally visiting the site. Even after knowing about the incident, he entrusted the inquiry to another ACF Manoranjan Bagha, without realising the gravity of the offence, reflecting a casual attitude and shifting of responsibility. He also did not take any steps to ascertain the cause of death of the elephant or identify the offenders, the notice stated.