NAINITAL: In a sight that has worried many officials, a group of tigers in the Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) were seen chewing on a plastic drum in the Dhikala range in the last week of January.According to officials, a tigress and her cubs can be seen in the pictures chewing on the plastic drum which they got hold of in the Ramganga river. The picture was clicked by some tourists who handed it over to the CTR administration on January 30.Corbett director Rahul, who goes by his first name only, said, “A group of tourists have given us some pictures where a tigress and her two cubs can be seen chewing on the plastic container. We have ordered an inquiry into the incident and the investigation report will be with us soon.”Corbett is a plastic-free zone and the officials are also investigating as to how the plastic container came into the reserve. “CTR is a plastic-free zone. Even tourists are not allowed to carry plastic products here. Therefore, we are also investigating how the container came into the river. One of the possibilities is that it could have been dumped into the river by residents of one of the many villages along the river,” Rahul said.Ramganga river flows from Gairsain in Chamoli district to Ramnagar in Nainital district and passes through large parts of the CTR. The river is also a source of drinking water to animals in the protected reserve.Meanwhile, officials added that the tigers have been put under monitoring to trace their behaviour. “As a precautionary measure, the tigers seen in the pictures have been put under monitoring. However, no suspected change has occurred in their behaviour as yet,” the official said.Presence of plastic drum in Ramganga river has not only shocked the CTR administration but has also raised questions on the security of the protected zone.Chandrashekhar Joshi, deputy director of CTR, said, “Though an inquiry is on, we cannot ignore the content of the drum. We need to investigate all angles of the incident from poachers plotting to negligence of workers inside the Jhirna zone.”He added that forest officials in hill districts have been alerted to ensure that solid waste is not being dumped anywhere close to rivers. “In the past couple of days, the state witnessed rain and snow and there is a possibility that the drum might have flowed down from the hills with other solid waste,” he said.State forest minister Harak Singh Rawat said, “It is a serious matter and I have directed the officials to give a detailed report on the issue. Those found guilty will certainly be penalised and punished. Any form of plastic will not be allowed in the forests of Uttarakhand as it not only affects humans but also the wildlife.”Scientists of Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WWI) have repeatedly raised concerns regarding poor solid waste management in the hills. “Instead of treating it, garbage is lifted from one point and dumped in another in the hills. This waste menace has to stop or else it will impact the entire eco-system,” said S Sathyakumar, senior WII scientist.