NGT constitues committee to report on Kerala elephant death

In the wake of the tragic death of a pregnant elephant in Kerala's Palakkad, the National Green Tribunal voluntarily registered a case on the basis of media reports and also constituted a committee that would submit a report on the case.

Chennai: The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted a committee that would submit a report on the issue related to pregnant elephant's death case within a month, an official statement said on Friday.

The NGT asked the government of Kerala to update them with the measures adopted in connection with the issue.

During the hearing, a special bench of Justice Ramakrishnan and expert member Saibal Dasgupta have issued an order to review the measures taken to protect wildlife and reducing human-animal conflict.

The Bench also formed a committee headed by the Kerala chief forest officer and ordered to submit reports of the long-term action plan for preventing such incidents in the future.

The tribunal has advised the silent Valley Forest Service to act as a special officer and make appropriate plans to prevent Human-animal conflicts and inform the state if there is already a plan in place.

The Tribunal has also ordered the committee to submit its report within a month.

This team comprises of senior officer form South Zone Wildlife Crime Prevention Unit, Silent Valley forest Officer, Mannargad and Punalur Regional Forest officers and Palakkad District Collector.

Notably, the southern zone of the NGT has directed the Kerala Forest Department to file a detailed report on the investigation and arrests made so far and has postponed the hearing to July 10.

The 15-year-old elephant is suspected to have consumed a pineapple filled with powerful firecrackers, which exploded in the animal's mouth in the Silent Valley Forest and it died in Velliyar River about a week later.