Teliamura, Jun 21, 2022, TRIPURATIMES Desk

Teliamura, June 20: Mungiakami Elephant Camp in Khowai district of Tripura is reportedly reeling under acute food and drinking water crisis. The caretakers in-charge of the elephants alleged, any untoward incident can occur at any moment.

The role of the SDFO of the Teliamura Forest department, Sabir Kanti Das is under the scanner as several allegations were raised against him.

An elephant camp was set up at the foot of the Atharamura hills under the Teliamura sub-divisional forest department to attract tourists to the Mungiakami 36 mile area. Four elephants namely Motilal, Kishore, Madhu and Gita were brought to the camp from Sepahijala Sanctuary. Since then, SDFO Sabir Kanti Das is overseeing everything from feeding the elephants to other necessities.

It was alleged by the caretakers that proper and specific food arrangements were not made for the elephants depriving the pachyderms.  

According to the caretakers, the requirements of the elephants were communicated to the SDFO – however, he did not pay heed to the caretakers.

The issue of lack of adequate food for elephants is related to the alleged nepotism by the SDFO for which the pachyderms are suffering.

Sources said, a tender was floated through the website of the Department for supplying food to the elephants and only three tenders were submitted. In this case, the role of the SDFO is questioned. Sources argued there was no tender notice published in the newspaper – so most of the stakeholders remained in dark about the tender as it was floated only on Department’s website.

The present situation in the elephant camp needs the attention of the higher authority of the Forest department and thorough scrutiny of the food arrangements as well as food quality is needed, opined concerned persons.