The state government said Kerala will soon have a grand museum in Thiruvananthapuram to house a huge stockpile of ivory worth hundreds of crores of rupees in the possession of the state forest department and various temple boards.
Rejecting the environment ministry's suggestion to destroy seized wildlife articles to send across a message to flourishing wildlife smuggling mafia, state forest minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said that destroying wildlife products like ivory--both legal and seized-- will be an injustice to be done to the next generation, who would not get an opportunity to see such things in their lifetime.
"An estimated Rs 700 crore worth ivory alone is in the possession of the state government and various temple boards. It will be an injustice to the coming generation if we destroy such items. So we have decided to set up a museum to house such precious things," Radhakrishnan said. He, however, did not say clearly whether the proposed museum would also house other wildlife articles, including tiger pelts and other products derived from snakes, deer, owls, mongoose, and shells.
Asked whether the government's decision to exhibit such items was totally against the environment ministry's position and would encourage illegal wildlife trade, the minister said it would not encourage illegal trade of wildlife articles and Kerala has its own ways to deal with such matters.
Wildlife products including ivory resulting from unlawful activities have been seized by the police and state forest department for combating wildlife crime.
Many such wildlife articles are in the possession of the state forest department.
