Tragic Electrocution of Vulnerable Himalayan Bears Sparks Safety Concerns

Two Himalayan black bears were electrocuted at a sewage treatment plant in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, highlighting safety issues. The bears came from a nearby forest, entering the plant and contacting an open transformer. Safety failure is criticized as prior warnings by electricity workers were ignored.

In a tragic incident in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, two Himalayan black bears, deemed vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, were electrocuted at a sewage treatment plant due to an exposed transformer.

The accident unfolded because the transformer was accessible from a collapsed security wall, a known issue for several years without rectification, local sources confirmed.

Authorities and workers had repeatedly warned the sewage treatment plant's management about the dangers of the open transformer, but the warnings remained unaddressed, leading to this unfortunate mishap involving the bears that wandered in from nearby forests.

(With inputs from agencies.)