Odisha Snake Helpline writes to Centre over illegal online sale of ‘Hathajodi’

Bhubaneswar:  Snake Helpline, a snake-rescuing organisation  in Odisha,  has lodged a complaint with Wildlife Crime Control Bureau of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) alleging illegal trade of ‘Hathajodi’- Monitor lizard hemipenis using online video-sharing platform YouTube.

In a letter to Wildlife Crime Control Bureau Additional Director Tilotama Varma, Snake Helpline General Secretary Subhendu Mallik  reported about the violation of Wildlife (Protection) Act-1972.

Mallik said, “After  intervention of your office in 2017, online sellers like Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal have stopped selling of  ‘Hathajodi’. However, I found several persons are selling ‘Hathajodi’ by advertising it on their own YouTube channels.  They have displayed their mobile numbers on the screens also.”

To make the tracing easier, Mallik attached few links, mobile numbers and URL of some Youtube Channels involved in the illegal trade. The Snake Helpline official requested the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau to book the Indian Head of Operations of YouTube company for abetment of the crime.