Madras HC declines to halt relocation of spotted deers

The Madras High Court on Friday expressed concern over lack of strict implementation of laws related to forest and wild life and resulting in offenders being let go scot-free and said it was high time forest department officials have imparted training in enforcing the acts. A bench of Justices M Sathyanarayanan and N Seshasayee made the observations while dismissing a PIL from animal welfare activistS Muralidharan seeking to restrain Tamil Nadu forest authorities from relocating spotted deers from certain city areas. Noting that the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and Wild Life (Protection) (Tamil Nadu) Rules, 1975 do not contain any specific provision or guideline as to the manner in which spotted deers is to be caught, the court also directed the Forest department to frame necessary guidelines in this regard. The petitioner submitted that forest department, citing the interest of deer, recently started a drive to relocate the animals from the premises of Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), abutting the Guindy National Park here. But the department personnel were adopting cruel methods to capture them which led to the death of a deer in a road mishap after it tried to escape from being caught, he said.

Holding that translocation of spotted deers, especially from the campus of CLRI, cannot be faulted with, the bench, however, said the Forest Department should frame necessary guidelines as to the manner in which wild animals are to be captured. It said several resources were available on the internet on the matter and cited an article UK Wildlife: First Aid and Care Wild pro module. The bench expressed anguish over the shrinking of forest cover and natural habitat for wild animals despite the fact that all laws were in place. As usual, there is no strict implementation of laws and regulations and it is also tardy and the offenders are also let scot-free on account of improper implementation of the provisions of the Act, Rules, and Regulations," it said. It was also highly doubtful whether the officials, enforcing the laws and rules, were aware of the provisions, the bench said adding periodical training should be imparted to them especially in launching criminal prosecution against the offenders who regularly violate forest laws. 

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