Gujarat forest department has started the process of shifting the crocodiles on the Sardar Sarovar Dam premises on the Narmada to make way for the seaplane service. This step has been taken to promote tourism at the statue of unity.
Magar Talav’, Pond 3 is filled with close to 500 mugger crocodiles and 15 of them have been already shifted last Tuesday despite the confusion of their release.
Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), Narmada, Dr. K Sai Kumar told the national daily that “ten teams of forest rangers have been tasked with the job of evacuating Magar Dallas in order to enable a seaplane service in the area. He also said that no deadline has been fixed for the project yet and a final call will only be taken once the forest department ascertains where the reptiles will stay”.
Reportedly, they used fish to lure the reptiles into cages. The crocodiles fall under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act which covers the ‘most endangered species’ found across the country. The largest crocodile they caught from Pond 3 was about 10 feet.
Statue of Unity that was inaugurated last year by PM Modi is dedicated to Sardar Vallabhai Patel who is also known as the ‘Iron man of India. The animal rights activists have protested against the move claiming that it will cause destruction to crocodiles living in river Narmada.
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