TN govt forms task force to support, guide zoo, sanctuaries on COVID-19 infection

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government on Friday constituted a state-level task force to provide support and guidance to authorities on prevention and mitigation of COVID-19 infection in wild and captive animals in the tiger reserves, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries and reserve forests in the state.

The move comes in the wake of two lions succumbing to coronavirus at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park near here recently.

Headed by Supriya Sahu, principal secretary to environment, climate change and forests department, the task force will have six members. The task force shall have a close watch on disease surveillance, mapping and monitoring system, vaccination and other important associated departments and publish periodic reports, an official release here said.

A Government Order issued by Supriya Sahu said the state level task force for COVID-19 surveillance and monitoring will commence its work immediately and meet periodically to review the measures.