Summary:
BHUBANESWAR: Snake Helpline on Wednesday lodged a complaint with the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) and Wildlife Crime Control Board (WCCB) against use of a live cobra in a television serial, which was telecasted in a local Odia channel. Wildlife activists said this is violation of Wildlife Protection Act (1972) and there are instances of action being taken against actors for posting photographs with snakes in social media.“The act of the actor, producers and channel authorities cannot be ignored because they violated section 9 (hunting) and section 51 (attempt and abetment) of the act,” said the complaint letter written by Subhendu Mallik , honorary wildlife warden, Khurda district.He alleged that “The snake was defanged or the venom glands were removed for which the actor is so comfortable with the snake in the scene. The snake is not a graphics image and a real one because the person who supplied the snake to the producer has been identified and action will be taken against him as per the law soon.”In the serial the snake (cobra) was used as a ‘weapon of offence’ and will have tremendous negative impact on the society and encourage others to use venomous snakes as a weapon, Mallik said.Principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) Sandeep Tripathy said, he will look into the matter.When contacted the television channel officials refused to give any comment on the matter and said ‘they will consult their legal team in Mumbai on the issue’..