Latest news with #Wildlife(Protection)Act
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
SC dismisses plea against HC order to rehabilitate elephant from Jain mutt in Kolhapur to Guj facility
Kolhapur: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a writ petition by a Jain mutt in Kolhapur, challenging the Bombay high court's July 16 judgment that directed rehabilitation of a 36-year-old elephant 'Mahadevi alias Madhuri' from the mutt to the Vantara's Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust at Jamnagar in Gujarat. Swasthishri Jinsen Bhattarak Pattacharya Mahaswami Sanstha, the mutt at Nandani in Karvir tehsil of Kolhapur, had filed the petition on July 22 and the same came up for a hearing on Monday before the apex court bench of Justice J B Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan. The bench dismissed the petition, paving the way for the elephant's transfer to the Jamnagar facility amid a situation where the issue has struck an emotional chord with residents of Nandani, where the mutt is located. "A full text of the SC order is expected to be uploaded on its website in due course of time," lawyer Anand Landge, who represented the petitioner, told TOI. As news about the SC's dismissal reached Kolhapur, a team from Vantara, along with an animal ambulance, arrived at the Jain mutt at Nandani with forest and police officials. Kolhapur's deputy conservator of forests Dhairyashil Patil said, "As per the Bombay HC judgment, the elephant is to be rehabilitated within two weeks. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Emergency Generators in San Antonio: (Prices May Surprise You) Emergency Generator | Search Ads Search Now Undo A transport permit has already been issued, and the medical and fitness test was conducted on the elephant. Police will lead the process for the safe exit of the elephant to Gujarat." A sizable crowd of villagers gathered at the mutt amid a strong police bandobast to ensure against any untoward fallout. The head of the Jain mutt, Mathadhipati Jinsen Bhattarak Pattacharya, appealed to all the villagers to stay calm and follow the court's order. The elephant was decorated before being worshipped and given a public farewell on Monday night. The mutt manager, Sagar Sambhushete, said, "We told people, that the way they had welcomed the elephant to the mutt 34 years ago, we should give a grand send-off to her on Tuesday morning, but the police denied permission for such an event." The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, India, had raised concerns that the elephant was used for various activities, forced into crowded situations while being controlled with ropes and 'ankush'. A heavy howdah would often be put on her back despite her foot rot and arthritic condition. She was transported to Telangana without the mandatory permissions under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, twice for Bonalu and Muharram processions. A high-powered committee, after documenting the health conditions of the elephant, submitted a report in favour of the rehabilitation and the same was upheld by the high court.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Govt order allowing film shoots in forests not legally valid, rules Kerala HC
Kochi: High court has held that the state govt's order permitting commercial filmmaking and television serial production in wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and tiger reserves is not legally valid. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji also directed the state govt to issue appropriate follow-up instructions to forest department officers within four weeks. HC was considering an appeal by Angels Nair, general secretary of the NGO Animal Legal Force Integration, Ernakulam, which raised concerns about the 2018 shoot of the Malayalam film 'Unda', including allegations of soil dumping in a reserved forest in Kasaragod. During the hearing, HC noted that the govt order issued on March 30, 2013 appeared to be primarily aimed at generating revenue. It drew a distinction between commercial films and television serials on the one hand, and educational or documentary films on the other, based solely on content type and applicable fees. The court observed that it was necessary to examine whether such activities are permissible under the applicable statutory framework and whether they are desirable, keeping in mind broader environmental objectives. In the absence of any statutory provision or guidelines regulating such activity, the issuance of a govt order based merely on a fee structure cannot justify the granting of permission, HC said. It also pointed out that the phrase 'filmmaking without making any change in the habitat or causing any adverse impact to the habitat or wildlife' was only inserted into the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 through a 2022 amendment. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Before that, the Act referred only to 'photography.' HC further observed that it is well established through several Supreme Court decisions that natural resources — such as forests, lakes and rivers — belong to the people, with the state acting as trustee. The state must manage these resources in a manner that serves the public interest and protects the environment. Under Article 48A of the Constitution, the state is also obligated to protect and improve the environment and safeguard forests and wildlife. The court emphasised that the issue of permitting commercial filmmaking and TV serials cannot be approached in a narrow or technical manner. The state must consider not only statutory provisions but also established principles of environmental governance. In the absence of statutory backing, a policy framework, or duly framed rules, the court held that the impugned govt order is not valid.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Sea fan, pearl conch, genital of monitor lizard, boar tusks seized in Kolkata; 2 held
The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau apprehended two people and seized sea fans, pearl conches, genitals of monitor lizards and wild boar tusks from a shop in Kolkata's Burrabazar area during a raid on Wednesday night, officials said. Sea fans. (File Photo) Around 250 sea fans, 60 genitals of male monitor lizards, 24 tusks of wild boars and five pearl conches were seized from the shop, they said. The dried genitals of the monitor lizard were to be sold off as 'hatha jodi', the officials said. 'Hath jod' or 'hatha jodi' literally means clasped hands. It is the root of a rare plant which many believe brings good luck. However, they said what is usually sold in the market in the name of 'hatha jodi' are dried genitals of male monitor lizards — a species that is protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972. 'The items were found during a raid at a shop dealing in puja items in the Burrabazar area. Two persons were held in this regard. They are the owners of the shop and residents of Hooghly district,' officials said. Sea fans (a type of coral), pearl conch and wild boars are all protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
News18
5 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Over 2,800 killed in elephant attacks in India from 2019 to 2023: Govt
New Delhi, Jul 25 (PTI) More than 2,800 people lost their lives in elephant attacks in India from 2019 to 2023, with Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal among the worst-affected states, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Friday. According to data shared by Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh in response to a question by CPI(M) MP John Brittas, between 2019-20 and 2023-24, a total of 2,869 people were killed in elephant attacks. Odisha reported the highest deaths in the country at 624, followed by Jharkhand (474), West Bengal (436), Assam (383) and Chhattisgarh (303), according to the data. The annual toll from elephant attacks has been rising steadily, increasing from 595 in 2019-20 to 629 in 2023-24. Tamil Nadu and Karnataka recorded 256 and 160 human deaths due to elephant attacks, respectively, over the five years. In contrast, tiger attacks claimed the lives of 378 people between 2020 and 2024. Maharashtra reported the highest number of deaths during this period at 218, followed by Uttar Pradesh (61) and Madhya Pradesh (32). As many as 110 deaths were reported from tiger attacks in 2022, most of them from Maharashtra (82). The number declined slightly to 85 in 2023 and 73 in 2024. The minister also said that the environment ministry does not compile data on livestock and crop losses caused by wild animals at the national level. On the question of declaring animals as vermin under Section 62 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Singh said the environment ministry had declared rhesus macaque monkeys as vermin in Himachal Pradesh for one year through a gazette notification dated April 23, 2020. Asked whether the Centre would consider amending the Act to empower states to declare animals as vermin within their jurisdictions, the minister said, 'There is no proposal to amend the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 as on date." He added that following the 2022 amendment, Section 11 of the Act empowers the State Chief Wildlife Warden to manage human-wildlife conflict situations. PTI GVS RHL view comments First Published: July 25, 2025, 16:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
5 days ago
- General
- News18
Tripura steps up efforts to save Indias last ape species
Agency: PTI Last Updated: Agartala, Jul 25 (PTI) The Tripura government unveiled a detailed action plan aimed at protecting the endangered Western Hoolock Gibbon — the only ape species found in India, in a major push for wildlife conservation. This initiative marks a significant milestone in the state's efforts to safeguard its fragile biodiversity and tackle the alarming decline in the gibbon population. Listed as 'endangered" on the IUCN Red List and protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the Western Hoolock Gibbon enjoys the highest degree of legal protection. Yet, its numbers have continued to decline over the years, largely due to habitat loss, hunting, and human-wildlife conflicts. Tripura, an ecologically rich state in the northeast, harbours one of the country's last remaining gibbon populations. These agile, tree-dwelling primates are known for their spectacular aerial swings across forest canopies and hauntingly melodic calls that echo through the jungle. But once-flourishing forests have shrunk and fragmented, leaving fewer safe spaces for them to thrive. A survey in 2005 recorded 97 individual gibbons across three forest patches in Tripura. That number has since dipped to 79, divided among 32 groups, officials said. Nationally, the gibbon population stood at about 12,000 two decades ago, but conservationists fear it may now be significantly lower. Tripura University's professor Sabyasachi Dasgupta, who is actively involved in the project, said establishing protocols for long-term population monitoring and restoring degraded forest habitats are part of the action plan. Training forest staff and law enforcement in wildlife protection, conducting ecological and behavioural research and promoting community awareness and participation in conservation are also the goals of it, he said. The gibbons of the state mainly live in protected areas such as Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary in South Tripura, and forests in Gomati and Khowai districts. However, conservationists caution that without proactive steps to prevent further forest degradation, gibbons may vanish from the wild. 'We are emphasising the need to maintain cultural integrity while protecting the gibbons," Dasgupta said. 'Traditional methods like shifting cultivation are deeply rooted, but they often disrupt forest continuity. We need strategies that reduce ecological harm while respecting cultural traditions. Canopy connectivity is crucial for gibbon movement and survival," he added. Divisional Forest Officer of Gomati H Vignesh said gibbons have been spotted in the Amarpur subdivision, though accurate population data is still being collected. Bimal Das, the assistant conservator at Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary, confirmed that eight gibbons are currently thriving within its core zone. Grassroots conservation campaigns are also underway, with NGOs and academics engaging communities living near forest fringes. These programmes aim to reduce human-animal conflict, especially incidents involving crop damage and encroachment, while highlighting the ecological role of gibbons, officials said. As awareness grows and conservation efforts gain momentum, environmentalists believe Tripura has the potential to become a model for gibbon preservation across the region, and a beacon of hope for India's only ape. PTI JOY SOM view comments First Published: July 25, 2025, 10:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
