Adivasis continue protest in Nagarahole
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The Hindu
8 hours ago
- The Hindu
Ahmedabad Rural police seize ambergris worth ₹2.97 crore, two arrested
The Ahmedabad Rural Special Operations Group (SOG) seized 2.97 kg of ambergris, commonly known as sperm whale vomit, worth nearly ₹2.97 crore in the international market and arrested two people during a raid near the Sarkhej–Sanand Highway. Acting on a tip-off, the SOG intercepted two suspects near Gibpura village under Sanand police station limits and recovered 2.976 kg of ambergris, said Om Prakash Jat, Superintendent of Police, Ahmedabad Rural. The seized material, confirmed by forest officials and forensic experts, is estimated to be worth ₹2.97 crore in the international market, he said. Along with the ambergris, two mobile phones and ₹700 in cash were also confiscated from the accused. The arrested men were identified as Yogeshbhai Tulshibhai Makwana (30), a resident of Bhavnagar, and Pantukumaar Bharatbhai Patel (37), a resident of Ahmedabad. During interrogation, they revealed that the ambergris had been supplied by one Bharatbhai Vallabhbhai Sarvaiya of Bhavnagar and they were looking for buyers due to its high market demand, Mr. Jat said. 'Ambergris trade is banned in India as the sperm whale is a Schedule I species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). This seizure reflects our commitment to curbing illegal wildlife trade,' Mr. Jat said. The accused have been handed over to the Forest Department, Sanand, which has initiated legal proceedings under the Wildlife Protection Act. Ambergris, a rare substance produced in the digestive system of sperm whales, is highly sought after in the international market for its use in perfumes and traditional medicine, despite the global ban on its trade.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
Madras High Court orders inspection of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham campus run by Mata Amritanandamayi Math
The Madras High Court has directed the Forest Department officials to inspect the Mata Amritanandamayi Math-run Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, a deemed university campus at Ettimadai, located at the foothills of Bouluvampatty ranges of the Western Ghats in Coimbatore district, and find out whether it fully complies with the 17 conditions imposed before granting building permission. A special Division Bench of Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy directed the jurisdictional District Forest Officer (DFO) to conduct the inspection along with amici curiae T. Mohan, Chevanan Mohan, Rahul Balaji, and M. Santhanaraman on a convenient date to all the parties concerned, and submit a detailed report before the court on or before September 12, 2025. The orders were passed after senior counsel R. Sankaranarayanan, representing the Math, told the court that the institution was fully in compliance of the 17 conditions imposed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force) on January 18, 2024, for converting 12.622 hectares of agricultural dry lands for educational purposes, and that it was also open to any inspection. 'If there are any defects, we will cure it immediately,' the senior counsel said after the High Court in July this year suo motu impleaded the Math as one of the respondents to a public interest litigation (PIL) petition related to the protection of forests and elephant corridors. The Math was impleaded following a complaint that it had erected a two-kilometre-long electric fence, disturbing free movement of elephants. Filing an affidavit on behalf of the Math, its authorised signatory G. Gopakumar, 54, residing on the Ettimadai campus, said: 'We have erected green solar smart fencing in the border areas of our patta (revenue document related to private land ownership) lands by complying with the technical specifications formulated by the Tamil Nadu Power Fences (Registration and Regulation) Rules, 2023.' He pointed out that one of the 17 conditions imposed by the PCCF permits fencing around the lands in conformity with the 2023 Rules. He also asserted that the institution had provided a 150-metre vacant buffer zone between the lands belonging to the institution and the border of the forest areas in order to ensure free movement of all kinds of wild animals, including elephants. 'We have provided three troughs and supply water through pipelines for drinking by forest animals. We ensure the availability of water at all times. We also allow the existing natural stream running through our patta lands without any obstruction or alteration of direction. We grow mainly forest trees which do not attract forest animals,' the affidavit filed by Mr. Gopakumar read. Stating that Mata Amritanandamayi, a spiritual leader fondly called Amma by her followers, firmly believes in showing compassion towards all living beings, the deponent of the affidavit said, she always promotes harmony in nature and insists on protecting plants and animals too. He also stated that the Math runs educational institutions because she believes that education would eradicate poverty.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
Two arrested for cooking porcupine meat in Kotagiri
Two men were arrested for allegedly cooking the carcass of a porcupine, which was found after being hit by a vehicle in Kotagiri on Wednesday (August 13, 2025). Forest Department officials stated that they had been intimated of the incident, but before they could reach the area to retrieve the carcass, they found that unidentified persons had got to it first. 'Following this, the Kotagiri Forest Department launched a detailed investigation and reviewed CCTV footage. The investigation revealed that a man, wearing a helmet and riding a two-wheeler, had picked up the dead porcupine,' the Forest Department said. Further inquiries confirmed that the individual in the footage was P. Raju Thapa, 32, residing near Kotagiri. Raju Thapa, a mushroom seller, is then said to have handed over the porcupine to Mahendran, a resident of Orasholai, who in turn handed it over to his brother-in-law Joseph to clean and cook the carcass. Officials from the Kotagiri Forest Range registered a case against all three individuals involved. The Forest Department then arrested Raju Thapa and Joseph. They were produced before the Kotagiri Judicial Magistrate Court and remanded to judicial custody. Efforts are under way to apprehend Mahendran, they added.
