Chennai: Two months after a case regarding deer deaths at IIT-M due to unabated plastic contamination was filed, the institute filed a response before the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal on Monday.
Taking a hint from his Right to Information (RTI) reply, activist Antony Rubin filed a case at the tribunal requesting the shift of the institution’s cultural festivals including Saarang, during which the death numbers have reportedly been increased.
According to the RTI reply, 220 deer and eight blackbucks have died between 2014 and 2016.
Also, according to the reports by the Fifth Estate, an online website run by students of IIT Madras, 21 deer had died and three were injured in January 2014 when the cultural events took place.
Refusing the charges, the institute blamed it on the ‘outsiders’ for the dumping of plastic on the campus, that havens wide varieties of flora and fauna. In a positive note, the report said that the number of blackbucks has gone up from 20 in 2008 to 26 in 2011 and 34 in 2013.
Labeling the activist’s claim to be highly exaggerated, the report said, “There is a total ban on sale of material in plastic bags on the campus. Most of the plastic wastes are dumped by outside residents staying adjacent to the IIT campus.”
The response also reiterated that institute has raised a complaint with the Chennai corporation. Petitioner Antony said that he would be filing a rejoinder during the next hearing on August 22. He dismissed the claims and said that he has enough evidences to prove the institute wrong.
