The winner of the state's highest environmental award, the Phawangpui Award, 48-year-old 'New World' Laldingliana from Kawlkulh village in eastern Mizoram said that he filed an affidavit on his queer desire before a magistrate to create environmental awareness.

He said his body might not suffice to feed the hungry animals in the degraded forests, but wanted the world to know that human beings cannot survive without forests and wildlife.

Laldingliana's decision and the affidavit created a furore when his critics questioned his wish, contending that if a tiger eats his flesh it would turn on other human beings.

His fellow environmentalists, however, defended Laldingliana's decision saying there is no scientific proof that preying on his flesh would turn a tiger into a man-eater, and he did not mention 'tiger' in his affidavit.

"In my younger days, I used to eat the meat of wild animals and now I feel that I should give my flesh in return," the deep-voiced, thin environmentalist said.