CHENNAI: Hearing a suo motu case on the mass deaths of Olive Ridley turtles along the Chennai coast, the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday asked the Tamil Nadu government why it allowed trawler boats without turtle excluder devices (TED) — which are considered the reason for the deaths — during the turtle nesting season.

The bench comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati observed that the state failed to implement a government order issued in 2015 to prevent trawler boats from fishing in certain parts.

The TN counsel informed the tribunal that subsidies to owners of 172 trawler boats, found to be fishing in banned areas, have been stopped and 30 trawler boats seized.

After the counsel for Andhra Pradesh, which was recently impleaded in the case, apprised the tribunal that they not only impose penalties against trawler boats that fish within 5 nautical miles but also seize their catch, the tribunal instructed TN to follow the measures taken by the neighbouring state.

Posting the next hearing on March 18, the tribunal also expressed dissatisfaction over the incomplete details provided in the TN reports.

During the earlier hearing on January 22, the NGT warned the government of banning trawler boats during the nesting season.

It also directed the government to submit details about the number of trawler boats, details of TED (turtle excluder devices) installed, and a day-to-day death count of the Olive Ridleys.