The Hindu : New Delhi News : Notice on protected animals

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 23, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Notice on protected animals

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 22. The Delhi High Court today sought a reply from the Delhi Government on a public interest litigation alleging that an uncertain number of black bucks and other protected animals were being kept in captivity in a building in the Walled City area in the Capital.

Taking note of the petition by Pradeep Gupta, a Division Bench comprising Justice B.C. Patel and Justice B.D. Ahmed asked the Delhi Government to file the reply within two weeks.

The petitioner alleged that these animals had been kept in confinement in the building called Jannat-a-Nishan which is reportedly a property of the Delhi Waqf Board.

He submitted that on a complaint by him, officials of the Wildlife Trust of India, a non-governmental organisation, the Chief Wildlife Warden, Delhi Government, and the Director, Wildlife Protection, Union Ministry of Environment, went to raid the building on August 29 but the culprits did not allow them to enter the premises and the Delhi police also failed to provide security to them.

He said that under the Wildlife Protection Act, the city police enjoy independent powers to search and seize protected animals if they (city police) come to know about such incidents. The Court would take up the matter in November for further hearing.

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