Bengaluru: The Officials of the Karnataka Forest Department have reportedly said that there has been a rise in wildlife crimes among jewellery makers in the state. In connection with this on Sunday, the department wrote to The Jewellers Association (TJA) in Karnataka, asking it to keep a watch on its members who are using animal parts for making jewellery.
In a letter to Mr. Ketan S Dhruv, the secretary of The Jewellers Association (TJA), forest department said, “It has been observed that there is increasing involvement of gold smith/ Jeweler community in wildlife crimes. The members of the community are at cutting edge level and are vulnerable to use illegal body parts of wildlife in their finished goods.”
The forest department has asked the jewelers in the state to keep themselves away from involvement in such activities. “I would request the association to take serious note of it and inform the members to keep themselves away from possessing or using any illegal wildlife body part, failing which the Department is constrained to proceed as per penal provision of Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.” added the forest officials of Karnataka.
Tusks of elephants, nails of tigers and many parts of other wild animals are illegally being used to make lavish jewellery products. The Jewellery Association is yet to share its response to the letter from the forest department.
