In a decisive move, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo motu cognizance of a staggering number of elephant deaths—845 in eight years—recorded in Kerala’s forests. Triggered by a report from The Hindu, the Tribunal has initiated a case addressing the urgent need to ensure compliance with the Environment Protection Act of 1986 and the Biological Diversity Act.
The Southern Zonal Bench, comprising Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, and Dr. A. Senthil Vel, issued notices to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), along with the Kerala Forest Department. The alarming rate of elephant fatalities, particularly among those under ten years of age, underscores the gravity of the situation. Nearly 40% of these young elephants have fallen prey to Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus-Haemorrhagic Disease (EEHV-HD), with research suggesting that larger herds could offer better immunity and protection against this deadly virus.
Further complicating the scenario are threats like habitat loss, fragmentation, climate change, and the encroachment of invasive plant species. To counter these challenges, experts have recommended the implementation of Kerala’s version of Tamil Nadu’s Elephant Death Audit Framework (EDAF), a systematic protocol designed to scrutinize each elephant death thoroughly.
As this critical issue awaits a hearing on September 30 in Chennai, the forest and wildlife officials from Kerala are being called upon to reassess their strategies. The legal representation for the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and the Chief Wildlife Warden, advocates Alim Anvar and Nishe Rajen Shonker respectively, will play pivotal roles in the upcoming tribunal session.
