Wildlife authorities rapped over jumbo deaths

FIVE wild elephants were electrocuted between June and November as a result of low-hanging transmission cables in Tamil Nadu, Tamil Nesan reported.

Two died in September after coming into contact with power lines, a court heard recently from forestry department officials.

The latest death occurred in the Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu’s Theni district, a haven for more than 60 endangered wildlife such as cheetahs and deers, as well as rare and protected trees.

After the deaths were reported widely in the media, the court held a hearing with a two-man panel.

The judges reprimanded wildlife authorities for merely writing letters to the electricity board to ask them to raise the cables.

The panel also ordered the state electricity board’s chief to submit a report addressing the issue.

> At least 35 women completed a one-day course on making homemade foodstuff in Ipoh, Makkal Osai reported. It was organised by Koperasi Peng­usaha Restoran India Malaysia Berhad with the aid of the Socio-Economic Development of the Ind­ian Community Unit.

With the new skills, they could then make and sell snacks for additional income.

?  The above article is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with this ' >'sign, it denotes a separate news item.