Carbofuran, Phorate linked to death of five tigers in MM Hills: FSL report
Bengaluru: A recent report by the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) has confirmed the presence of high levels of two toxic pesticides, Carbofuran and Phorate, in the digestive systems of a tigress and her four cubs found dead in the Hoogyam Range of the Malai Mahadeshwara Hills Wildlife Sanctuary (MM Hills) last month.
The report, as cited by The New Indian Express on Thursday, showed the presence of 20 micrograms of pesticide in one tissue sample of the dead carnivores. Veterinarians and experts stated that these chemicals were used in large quantities to kill them. Notably, Phorate is banned by the Central Government, while the use of Carbofuran has been regulated.
Sources from FLS quoted by TNIE mentioned that Carbofuran, being colourless, odourless, and tasteless, is often misused for intentional poisoning and even a small quantity can kill an animal in couple of hours. “Though it has been found for the first time in Karnataka, it was used to kill tigers in Jim Corbett, Ooty and Madhya Pradesh. Organo Phosphorus Compound was used to poison the leopard two years ago in Karnataka. However, the chemical analysis reports of the tiger poisoning case in Nagarhole Tiger Reserve were not clear as the carcass was over 7-10 days old,” they added.
According to veterinarians involved in the investigation, more than 500 chemical compounds were screened before confirming the presence of Carbofuran and Phorate. They also reported that the tigers’ digestive systems contained only meat from the dead carcass, leading authorities to begin testing agricultural produce from surrounding areas in MM Hills and Chamarajanagara for contamination.
Officials have expressed concern over the incident, stating that poisoning cases of this scale are rare and worrisome. “The government needs to look into the chemicals, pesticides and insecticides the farmers are using,” TNIE quoted a forest department official as saying.
Meanwhile, a senior official from the agriculture department acknowledged the gravity of the situation but noted the difficulty in monitoring the exact quantities of pesticide being purchased and used by farmers. “But this is a grave concern, and it will be checked as all pesticides are sold through authorised dealers only,” the official added.
Forest, environment and ecology minister Eshwar B. Khandre said that if banned and regulated substances have been used, action will be taken against the people.
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Pune airport runway restored after IAF aircraft snag; ops resume
Pune (PTI): The runway at Pune airport, which was temporarily unavailable due to an incident involving an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft, has now been restored and declared operational, the Air Force said on Saturday.
The authorities at the Pune International Airport had earlier said that around 10.25 pm on Friday, a fighter aircraft experienced an undercarriage failure during landing, causing the runway to be blocked.
As many as 91 flights of airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, Akasa, and Air India Express, were affected due to the incident, they said.
Earlier on Friday night, the Air Force had stated that the runway at Pune airport was temporarily unavailable following an incident involving one of its fighter aircraft. The aircrew are safe, and there is no damage to civil property, it had said.
"The runway at Pune Airport, which was temporarily unavailable due to an incident involving an Indian Air Force aircraft, has now been restored and declared operational. All necessary safety inspections and clearances have been completed. Operations are resuming in a phased manner," it said in a post on X.
Flight operations at Pune airport are being gradually restored. The situation has been brought under control with the highest priority given to the safety of citizens, a Defence PRO said.
