TN govt forms task force to monitor Olive Ridley turtles death

CHENNAI: The state government has constituted a task force headed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest to continuously monitor and take action on Olive Ridley turtles washing ashore dead along the city coast.

After more than 500 sea turtles washed ashore dead during the last week, Chief Secretary N Muruganandam chaired a review meeting at the secretariat with senior officials from the Environment and Climate Change Department, Coast Guard and the Coastal Protection Force, including various departments.

In the meeting, it was decided to constitute a task force headed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and comprising officials from various departments including the Environment and Climate Change Department, Fisheries Department, Coast Guard and the Coastal Protection Committee.

“This committee will continuously monitor the death of turtles and the related activities. If sea turtles are washed ashore, the carcasses should be seized immediately and a post-mortem should be conducted to find out the cause. Action should be taken to prevent death based on the cause,” an official release said. It added that awareness should be created among fishermen regarding the use of nets. “Instructions were also given in this meeting to create awareness in this regard along with representatives of local bodies in coastal areas,” it noted.