(IN)- VSPCA- More Olive Ridley turtles washed ashore

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Date:03/01/2008 URL:

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/03/stories/2008010359530300.htm

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Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

 

More Olive Ridley turtles washed ashore

 

 

 

Staff Reporter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VISAKHAPATNAM: More and more Olive Ridley turtles, declared endangered

under the Wildlife Protection Act, are being washed ashore near Thikkavanipalem

beach in Parawada mandal in the district on Wednesday.

 

A team from Forest Department, led by an IFS officer, also visited the

spot to take water samples for certain tests following allegations that several

turtle carcases reached the shore due to ocean pollution caused by some

industries in the nearby vicinity and non-use of turtle exclusion device (TED)

by the trawlers.

 

Fishermen of the area had alleged that effluents discharged by NTPC

Simhadri Super Thermal Power Plant and another chemical unit located in the area

could have been responsible for the large-scale death of turtles.

 

Visakha Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals president Pradeep

Kumar Nath, who led a team of volunteers to Thikkavanipalem and nearby areas,

said they had launched a survey of the status of turtles.

 

“We were shocked to see arrival of several dead turtles continuously,” he

said on Wednesday.

 

Several turtles were getting killed due to failure of the authorities in

enforcing the use of TED by trawlers and indiscriminate release of industrial

effluents into the sea.

 

Pradeep Kumar Nath said they should conduct autopsy and chemical tests

dead turtles immediately after they were found ashore and advised them not to

take species, which were in a highly decomposed state.

 

The VSPCA has decided to survey the entire coastline from Thikkavanipalem

and nearby areas up to Visakhapatnam to prepare an action plan for protecting

the dwindling population of Olive Ridley turtles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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