Water training at NDA, Khadakwasla affected by presence of crocodiles
19 Sep, 2013
India's premier tri-service academy National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla has admitted that the training in the institute is being badly affected by the presence of crocodiles in its waters.
Replying to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the NDA said that that the watermanship training, especially endurance swimming has been affected due to crocodiles in the water. The reply said that the state forest department had released crocodiles from the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park, Katraj into the Khadakwasla waters without informing the academy.
The RTI reply also stated that Khadakwasla is not a crocodile habitat and under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 releasing of crocodiles in a non-habitat area can be done only after a Habitat Viability Report. However, in case of Khadakwasla no such report was prepared. The NDA also said in the reply that since 2011, it has been repeatedly requesting all the concerned state authorities to assist in the removal of the crocodiles but no action has been taken in this regard as yet.