Turtle deaths: Centre seeks report from TN govt; NGT impleads Andhra

Tribunal slams TN as reports didn't mention action against erring trawlers, posts matter to Feb 7

- SV KRISHNA CHAITANYA @Chennai

AMID the everyday increase in the death toll of Olive Ridley turtles during the ongoing nesting season, the union government has sought a report from Tamil Nadu. Meanwhile, the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which had taken suo motu cognisance of the matter, impleaded Andhra Pradesh in the case on Friday, considering over 3,000 Olive Ridleys reportedly died and beached in the last month along the state's coast.

The tribunal expressed displeasure over the reports submitted by TN forest and fisheries departments, saying there was no mention of punitive action taken against erring trawlers, who are blamed for the deaths.