By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: The Supreme Court was on Thursday admitted a plea of BJD Lok Sabha MP from Kendrapara, Anubhav Mohanty, who had filed a writ petition bearing (Civil-673/2020) against Union of India and Others in the Apex Court on sponsored killing of wild spices. The file no bearing 107 has been listed for hearing while senior counsel Siddarth Luthra argued on behalf of BJD MP Mohanty.
The Supreme Court has issued notices to states like Bihar and Himachal Pradesh on a plea filed by BJD MP Mohanty against permitting vermin killings there to stop damage to standing crops, saying ways have to found to control the “human-animal” conflict.
A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde, in a hearing conducted through video conferencing, took note of the submission of senior advocate Siddharth Luthra that a large number of wild animals like ”neelgai” (blue bulls) have been permitted to be killed to save the crops.
“We need a solution. No solution lies only in saying that don’t kill them. Look at it in terms of the solution. We are tagging this matter along with elephant matter of Kerala where it was killed by pineapple stuffed with crackers,” said the bench which also comprised Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian. The bench was hearing a plea of a BJD MP Mohanty seeking measures to prevent the killing of wild animals in the country.
Not killing animals and allowing the destruction of crops is not a solution, the court observed, adding that the ways have to found to control “animal-human conflict” without either killing the vermin or allowing damage of the crops. Luthra said the expansion of the human population into the territories of wild animals was one of the reasons of the problem.
“I am grateful to the Hon’ble Supreme Court to admit my plea against state sponsored killing of wild species.Sr Adv Shri Siddharth Luthra appeared in public interest and the Court has sought his assistance to arrive at the causes and solutions for man animal conflict which has led to bomb,pioson baiting in forests ,” BJD MP Mohanty tweeted@ AnubhavMohanty.
In his petition, the BJD MP from Kendrapara advocated that many State Governments for example in Bihar, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala have financially incentivised the killing of wild animals such as Nilgai, Rhesus Macaque and Wild Boar respectively. Unfortunately, a popular way of getting rewarded by the State Governments is by planting bombs and poisons in the forests, he states.
Mohanty’s petition to SC brings to attention recent report of the death of several animals and a child after use of heinous practices such snares, wire traps, explosives, bomb baits, poison baits etc were reported and documented to destroy wild animals.
He reiterates the protection rendered to animals under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 even though they may be declared as vermin under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, still renders true. The petition seeks for proactive, constructive and a scientific way forward to mitigate human-wildlife conflict instead of encouraging citizens of the country to kills such wild animals.
“Currently there are no proper guidelines in place for the purpose of dealing with man-animal conflict. This has led to the emergence of haphazard, unscientific and excessive policies being exercised by Central and State Governments. This encourages poachers and public to hunt animals. Man-animal conflict is a serious issue and we must look at scientific methods such as immunocontraception, community sensitization, creation of rapid response teams for coordinating and managing conflict to ensure our animals are not hunted,” MP Mohanty said.
He added; “Not only do animals and children suffer because of these violent actions, but our farmers also incur heavy losses due to the inaction of governments. By expediting financial compensation for crop damage, we must support our food givers. With the current trends, neither will our animals survive nor will our farmers. We must think for the good of both”.
Due to such indiscriminate hunting non-target animals such as elephants, leopards, tigers, jackals and even cows fall prey to such unwarranted methods of elimination, dying painful and agonizing deaths, Mohanty said.
