Kerala: Animal rights group seeks PM Narendra Modi's intervention to stop use of crackers inside forest

A Kerala-based animal rights group has sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is also the Chairman of National Board for Wildlife, to stop the use of crackers inside forest areas to ward off straying wild animals.

The use of crackers by planters and tribal people inside forest areas results in serious wounds all over the body of animals, especially jumbos which finally result in its death, the Heritage Animal Task Force said in a letter to the Prime Minister.

"It is the practice of tribal communities and planters all over Kerala to use crackers to ward off elephants moving through the elephant corridors," the letter said. The use of crackers to ward off wild elephant is against the guidelines prescribed by the Project Elephant, it added.

The letter was sent in the wake of the recent death of a female wild elephant at Konni elephant camp allegedly due to wounds inflicted on its body by use of crackers inside Peppara forest area.

"In Kerala, the forest officials are not introducing modern methods such as use of recorded sounds of tiger or of bees to scare away wild elephants from tribal settlements," it said.

In the letter, the outfit asked the PMO to intervene in the matter and issue strict orders to the state government to stop the practice of using crackers inside forests to ward off wild animals.