NEW DELHI, May 23 � Illegal trade in turtles along the Indo-Bangla border particularly in Meghalaya sector has sent alarm bells ringing in the Ministry of Environment and Forest. BSF has been put on alert and intelligence briefings organised to sensitise the forces.
Meghalaya Forest department has detected two cases of smuggling of Indian Flapshell turtles from Bangladesh to Garo Hills. In the first case, three turtles were seized and one person was arrested. In the second case, two turtles were seized but the offender could not be arrested, Minister of State Environment and Forest, Jayanthi Natarajan said.
Meghalaya Wildlife staff regularly patrols and checks the vulnerable areas along the Indo-Bangla border to keep an eye on illegal trade in turtles. The BSF personnel are also informed and sensitised during district level intelligence briefings, the Minister said.
