Degradation plays fatal role in Periyar tiger reserve EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE The ecological fallout of the last Sabarimala season is wreaking havoc in the Periyar tiger reserve with a 40-year-old female elephant becoming the first victim of the environmental degradation scripted in the area by the pilgrimage. The 2.5-metre tall elephant was found dead at Seethakkulam under the Vallakadavu range yesterday after showing visible signs of being in distress for the past couple of days. The death of the animal, estimated to be about 40 years old, was because of ulcer and infection in its small intestine, suspected to have been caused by the consumption of contaminated food and water. Veterinary surgeons who did the post-mortem suspect it to be a case of salmonella poisoning. "Animals eat whatever is left behind by devotees...mostly packed in plastic bags...These bags block their digestive system leading to severe constipation and painful death,'' pointed out a senior doctor of the forest department. The Indian Express team which travelled deep into thePeriyar forests last week witnessed many an example of the plastic waste menace. Almost all balls of elephant dung, found especially in the Valakkadavu range, had plastic in them. Not just plastic carry bags but even sacks. "Aluminium foils, biscuit wrappers, etc. are also found.'' The solid waste is only one facet of the problems faced by the tiger reserve in post-Sabarimala season. "The waterholes in the grasslands area are contaminated...Lakhs of pilgrims throng the grasslands during the season...Many of them remain here till the Makaravilakku day as they can witness the vilakku from these hills...and in turn pollute the forests with plastic and biological waste.'' After the 1996-97 season three elephant deaths were reported from this area. And this forced the authorities to slap a ban on plastic use in the sanctuary. Another issue that surfaces after the season is the abandoned donkeys brought to Sabarimala to carry loads to the hill shrine. "Donkeys are brought here from different parts...Nomedical examination is done before they're allowed inside the forest...We're quite apprehensive that they could be possible carriers of contagious diseases.'' Once the season is over, donkeys without resale value are left in the forests to die. "They are either killed by predators...or succumb to their injuries...In both cases their carcasses lie and decay which is very dangerous for the environment,'' K E Easwaran, veterinary surgeon of the sanctuary, pointed out. The forest department, with its limited infrastructure, cannot undertake any cleaning up operations. "So we're planning to urge the Travancore Devaswom Board to sanction a fund for cleaning these premises after each season,'' a senior officer said. As such river Pampa is reeling under severe pollution problems, the worst sections being Njunangar-Pampa confluence and Kakki. The coliform count is 1,60,000 per 100 ml of water. "It is the 22-lakh population on the banks who bear the brunt of this contamination...And after a few years it willbe the people of Tamil Nadu, as these waters will take the poison to the neighbouring State,'' forest officials said. Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.