Karnataka HC notice to authorities on electrocution of wild animals
Bengaluru, Nov 1: The Karnataka High Court has ordered issuance of notice to all concerned authorities in a public interest litigation against illegal electric fences causing death of elephants and other wild animals in the State.
The PIL filed by advocate Ankush Yennemajal was heard by a division bench headed by Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale on Monday.
Citing news reports of elephant deaths due to electrocution, the PIL claimed: "The Forest Department of Karnataka and the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited do not seem to be bothered by the fact that illegal connections are now being given in several places of Karnataka, especially in rural areas."
It alleged that of the about 6,000 elephants in the state forests, 70 died in 2021 out of which 15 were due to unnatural causes including electrocution. The PIL seeks direction to the authorities to prevent such deaths of wild animals.
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Odisha vigilance arrests 181 people, unearths assets worth Rs 131 crore in 2024
Bhubaneswar (PTI): The vigilance department of Odisha government has registered a total of 200 criminal cases and arrested 181 people including government officials during the year 2024, an official statement said.
Of the 181 people arrested by the vigilance department, 37 were class-I officers, 27 class-II officers, 85 class-III, one class-IV employee, 10 other public servants and 21 private persons during the year, the statement issued on Tuesday said.
A total of 200 cases were registered in 2024, of which, 60 cases were instituted for acquisition of disproportionate assets (DA) against 66 public servants and 36 private persons and unearthed properties worth over Rs 131 crore, it said.
The vigilance department had registered 96 trap cases in 2024, in which 115 people including 99 government officers were trapped while demanding and taking bribes worth Rs 19.25 lakh.
During the year, 44 misappropriation cases relating to misappropriation of public money were registered against 91 people, including 65 public servants and 26 private people, involving misappropriation of public funds amounting to about Rs 14.87 crore, the vigilance said.
Informing about the investigation of the corruption cases, the anti-corruption wing said it has carried out searches at over 483 locations, freezed 792 bank accounts of corrupt public servants, evaluated 194 buildings/projects in 72 valuation cases worth Rs 27.03 crore and 38 spouses were also brought in the ambit of investigations as co-accused in DA cases.
During the year 2024, investigations were completed in 307 cases and recorded the highest-ever disposal rate of 154 per cent. As many as 25 government functionaries were dismissed from service following their conviction in the vigilance cases, it said.
