'Tigress was killed for industrialists'

Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) state chief Jayant Patil has alleged that the tigress Avni was killed for the benefit of the Ambani and Birla groups. He said that both industrialists want to set up factories in Avni’s habitat. He also said that the forest department does not act against those who smuggle wood but is swift to kill animals.   

An alleged manhunting tigress T1 was killed in last week after the state government’s forest depa-rtment issued an order. Her killing has created a controversy over a number of issues. Now the NCP has entered the debate. “It is very much clear that this state government is working for industrialists. There is buzz that Ambani and Birla projects are coming up in Avni’s forest. There is a rule that you cannot set up a project in a  tig-er’s habitat. It is a national law. That’s why she was killed,” alleged Mr Patil.

Many wildlife activists have levelled similar allegations against the state government. “The Save the Tiger project of this government is just a photo opportunity. They neither love tigers nor forests. They only love deep-pocketed people,” said Mr Patil.