Three persons were arrested in connection with deaths of over 200 egrets in Assam.
Three persons were arrested Thursday in connection with the deaths of over 200 egrets at Tangla town in Assam, an officer said.
The Tangla Municipal Board had issued an order to five residents for clearing bamboo trees where the birds were nesting with their fledglings in Udalguri district.
The arrests took place following the submission of a complaint case by inquiry officer-cum-divisional forest officer of Dhansiri Forest Division, Naba Kumar Bordoloi.
Udalguri Town and Country Planning chief executive officer Santana Das, junior engineer in Tangla municipal board Sadanda Sahari, and a driver were booked under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and were produced at the CJM Court in Udalguri and sent to judicial custody.
Egrets are listed under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
More than 200 egrets died due to the destruction of nests by way of felling of bamboo groves that were providing shelter to the birds with fledglings in Ward number 1 and 2 in Tangla town on June 24, the official said.
Notices had been served to five residents of both the Wards on June 8 to clear the bamboo trees nesting the egrets and their fledglings as "the droppings of birds were creating an unhygienic environment which may increase the risk of COVID-19 infection in the area".
Additional PCCF Wildlife and Chief Wildlife Warden, MK Yadava on June 25 had appointed Bordoloi as the inquiry officer for investigating the deaths of the birds.
Bordoloi had been asked to submit his report within seven days, the official added.
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