SC asks Centre for report in 3 weeks on tiger deaths

SC asks Centre for report in 3 weeks on tiger deaths
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

NEW DELHI, JULY 10: Taking serious note of untimely death of 12 tigers in the Nandankanan zoo in Orissa, the Supreme Court today asked the Centre to submit in three weeks the report of the high-level team conducting a probe into the incident and an Action Taken Report (ATR) based thereon.

``What happened in Nandankanan zoo is very serious,'' a three judge bench headed by Chief Justice A S Anand said while hearing a public interest litigation filed by Navin M Raheja seeking protection of tigers from poaching in wild.

The bench comprising Justice Anand, Justice R C Lahoti and Justice K G Balakrishnan said examination of the report of high-level team was required and directed the Centre to file the report along with the ATR.

``The ATR will be supported by an affidavit of S C Sharma, additional inspector general of wildlife,'' the bench said.

Appearing for the Centre, additional solicitor general Altaf Ahmed said that the death of the 12 tigers, including nine rare white breeds, were not connected with the petition which was dealing with Project Tiger.

Justice Anand said, ``It is worse that these tigers died while in the protective custody of the zoo.''

The bench said in view of the death of the tigers at Nandankanan, the court has to take a wider view of the extinction of the national animal in the wild.

``We will have to address the larger issue of protecting tiger population not only in forest but also in zoos where they are kept in protective custody,'' Justice Anand said.

``For this purpose, examination of the report of the high-level team is required,'' the bench said.

The bench was informed by Ahmed that the Centre has already taken a serious view of the matter and the high-level team constituted for this purpose would submit its report by July 15.

The court observed that recently a private TV channel had telecast a programme documenting the year-wise death of various animals, including tigers, in protective custody of zoos from the year 1984.

``The figures are alarming,'' Justice Anand said and added, ``We were concerned about the poaching in wild but we now find that their condition is worse in the protective custody of zoos.''

The Additional Solicitor General said, ``This court has been instrumental in improving the condition of inmates in jails across the country and now it was time for it to play a role in improving the condition of animals in zoos.''

The court said if the deaths have taken place due to negligence, then it was important to go into the records to find out what steps had been taken on the basis of these tragedies.

``Unless that was done, nothing will happen and no amount of legislation or directions from the court will improve the situation,'' Justice Anand observed.

Ahmed said there was a need for reforming the zoos by taking proper steps and emphasized that punitive measures would also have to be taken.

The petition filed by wildlife activist Navin M raheja had brought to the court's notice the appalling state of affairs in the various Project Tiger reserves.

It had said that tigers were being poached at will by illegal hunters depleting the population of the national animal and the Wildlife (Protection) Act has not been implemented in letter and spirit.

The apex court had sought affidavits from all states regarding the steps taken to protect the animals in the wild especially the tigers.

Right at the beginning of the hearing of the case, the court on ts own referred to the death of the tigers at the Nandankanan zoo and wanted to know as to what steps had been taken by the government in this regard.