Four arrested for illegal trade of jungle cats and raptors
The Hindu
Search operations on to establish link across cities
Madurai
Madurai Forest Division (MFD) officials on Tuesday arrested four people for illegal possession of live animals and raptors that come under the Scheduled Species of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
Two pet dealers each from Tamil Nadu and Kerala were nabbed by a joint team of the MFD and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) southern region, upon Intel information. A decoy team of four officers staged a mock deal and seized four live jungle cats, one spotted eagle and an owl from the offenders.
More than 2.6 lakh village and ward volunteers in Andhra Pradesh, once celebrated as the government’s grassroots champions for their crucial role in implementing welfare schemes, are now in a dilemma after learning that their tenure has not been renewed after August 2023 even though they have been paid honoraria till June 2024. Disowned by both YSRCP, which was in power when they were appointed, and the current ruling TDP, which made a poll promise to double their pay, these former volunteers are ruing the day they signed up for the role which they don’t know if even still exists