The Tamil Nadu government has constituted a seven-member State-level task force to provide support and guidance to field-level officials and keep a close watch on the efforts being taken by the authorities to prevent COVID-19 infections in the wild and among captive animals in tiger reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserve forests, among others.
“The task force will keep a close watch on disease surveillance, mapping, monitoring system and vaccination through co-ordinated efforts among various departments,” a government order issued by Forest Secretary Supriya Sahu stated.
Ms. Sahu is also the chairperson of the newly-created task force.
Periodic meetings
The task force is expected to commence its work immediately.
The task force will meet periodically to review the measures taken.
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HoD); the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden; the Special Secretary/Joint Secretary/Deputy Secretary in the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Forests; the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and the Director of the Advanced Institute of Wildlife Conservation in Vandalur; retired IFS officer R. Sundararaju; and wildlife conservationist S. Theodore Baskaran are the other members of the panel.
