NGT Southern Bench says that the departments in question should have intervened first to curb the massive mortality of the turtles and then proceed with the Prosecutor’s Office. | Photo credit: B. Thaminharan
The Tamil Nadu Fishing Department has reported that the Bank of the South of the National Green Court (NGT) to make the use of exclusive turtle devices (TED) in fishing networks was not currently feasible due to its lack of availability and The need to have a place in the place. standardized design.
This was informed through a report, presented in a Suo motu Case assumed by the bank, led by Judge Pushpa Sathyanarayana and the expert member Satyagopal Korlapati, after the high mortality of the turtles of Olive Ridley along the coast of Chennai and Chengalpattu.
A Government Order (GO) of 2015 for the breeding of animals, dairy and fishing department ordered that all drag networks be equipped with TED during the turtle nesting season from November to April. However, the Fishing Department report explained that due to the lack of TED, uncertain results and the need for a finished design, it was not feasible to enforce the rule until a standardized TED was approved.
In addition, a mechanized fishing vessels of 2016 and the motorized fishing boats in five nautical miles of marine turtle nesting sites during the playback in Tamil Nadu. However, the Pesca Department report contradicts this, and any necessary trial could have been completed since the GOs were issued in 2015 and 2016, the bank said.
The Bank also pointed out that, although the reports of the fishing department and the main main conservative of the forests highlighted the programs of consciousness in the coastal districts, only 24 fishing ships in Chennai were accused of not using TED despite the accusations of breach with the Law of Marine Fishing Regulation Tamil Nadu Nadu. on fishing in five nautical miles.
“It hurts to say that despite the passage of more than 10 days, even in an alarming situation, the government has not intervened to stop mass mortality or identify the reason for it …”, said the bank, and added that Interested departments should have intervened first to stop the massive mortality of turtles and then proceed with the Prosecutor’s Office.
Despite the reports of the media that suggest that autopsies were carried out, these reports have not been provided, the bank said. It had also been speculated that turtle bodies may have moved away from the coast of Andhra Pradesh. To clarify, the Bank ordered the Department of Fisheries and the main conservative heads of Andhra Pradesh to submit its report before February 7, 2025.
In addition, Tamil Nadu authorities received instructions to provide daily reports of turtle deaths from January 17 and the details of the measures taken to avoid more unnatural or premature deaths.
Published – February 1, 2025 06:47 am ist
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