In the wake of the death of a pregnant elephant in Kerala’s Silent Valley Forest, the National Green Tribunal has formed a committee and directed to submit an action taken report in the matter. The action was taken after the tragic death of a pregnant elephant in Kerala who drowned after collapsing in the Velliyar river due to starvation and exhaustion, being unable to eat anything for weeks due to major injuries in her oral cavities after she was fed firecrackers-stuffed pineapple. The elephant’s death agitated people across the country.
The NGT said, “Probably these things are happening due to various aspects of not following the norms for protecting the wild animals in the forest exposing them to have a conflict with humans, thereby their lives were put to danger.”
A bench comprising Justice K Ramakrishnan and Saibal Dasgupta also issued notices to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the Kerala government and others. It sought their responses before July 10.
The bench said that to ascertain the real state of affairs and also the steps to be taken to protect the wildlife and minimize the man-animal conflict in the future, it is appropriate to appoint a joint committee. The committee will go into the question and submit a factual and action-taken report with the long term management plan to avoid such incidents in the future.
