31 deer die in TN park due to 'high intake' of subabul leaves
Tiruchirappalli (TN), Nov 4 : As many as 31 spotted deer have died at a park near here in the past few days due to indigestion caused by excessive intake of leaves
containing toxic amino acid, a Forest Department official said.
The deer died of excessive consumption of subabul tree leaves, which are rich in protein and have mimusin, a toxic amino acid, since November 1.
Too much intake of the leaves had resulted in digestion problems leading to the death of the animals, the official said Sunday.
While 17 deer died on November 1, eight perished the next day. Another six died on Saturday. Twenty-five of them were female and some were also pregnant, the official said.
There were about 180 deer in the park which were taken care of by their keepers. Officials were now keeping an eye on the rest.
Postmortem of a couple of deer revealed the cause of the deaths, following which the keepers have been asked not to feed subabul leaves to the remaining, the official said.
According to the official, the keepers overfed the deer in their enthusiasm as the animals ate the leaves with relish.
Officials were now providing certain type of grass, besides a concoction, including powdered pepper, and drinking water for the rest of the herd as a preventive measure, the official said.
Any symptoms of illness would be noticed only after a deer would isolate itself from the group and no deer has done so since Saturday night, she said.
"Therefore, there may not be anymore casualties," the official added.
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Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
