This story is from June 6, 2020

NGT constitutes panel to look into elephant deaths in Kerala

NGT constitutes panel to look into elephant deaths in Kerala
Chennai: National Green Tribunal southern zone has taken suo motu cognizance of elephant deaths in Kerala. The case was registered based on news reports about the recent death of a pregnant elephant in Pallakad district after it was fed pineapple stuffed with fireworks and a similar incident reported in Kollam last month.
NGT south zone members Justice K Ramakrishnan and Saibal Dasgupta on Friday observed that such things were probably happening because norms meant for protecting wild animals were not followed and they wanted the government to come up with a long term strategy to minimise man-animal conflict in forest areas.
Therefore, a joint-committee was constituted to look into the issue and submit a factual report on the same before July 10.
The committee will have a senior officer (not below the rank of chief conservator of forest), chief wildlife warden, wildlife warden of Silent Valley Division, divisional forest officer of Mannarkkad and Punalur, Palakkad district collector and another senior officer from Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Southern zone. Officials from Silent Valley division will be the nodal agency for coordination.
The committee’s report will also explain if any scheme was already in place to avoid such tragedies, along with suggestions and action taken in respect of investigation, arrest and recovery of compensation.
Besides this, NGT southern zone had taken suo motu cognizance of another issue highlighted in TOI on June 3. The report was on how sewage from industries polluted Adyar River, thereby leading to spread of water hyacinth. A separate joint-committee was constituted to look into the issue.
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