Bhopal/Jabalpur: The Madhya Pradesh High Court at Jabalpur has sought detailed information from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) on tiger reserve funding over the past 10 years.
The court has adopted a firm stance on the continued suspicious deaths of tigers in the Kanha Tiger Reserve and other protected areas and passed the order in a public interest litigation concerning tiger conservation in the state’s national parks like Kanha.
The petitioner has alleged that the government is not providing adequate funds and that vacant posts in the tiger reserves remain unfilled.
The petition also raises concerns over possible Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) infection linked to the tiger deaths that occurred in April and seeks directions to prevent further spread of the virus.
Counsel for the state informed the court that the first dose of vaccination has been administered to all stray dogs living in the vicinity of Kanha Tiger Reserve. Booster doses have been given to around 2,700 stray dogs, with the remaining animals to be vaccinated soon.
Issuing the order for the funding details, a division bench of Justices Anand Pathak and B.P. Sharma directed the Union of India and the state government to take coordinated steps in line with Supreme Court guidelines involving the NTCA.
The Additional Solicitor General, appearing for the Union of India, assured the court that a detailed reply would be filed elaborating on funds disbursed to the state government for conservation projects and the budget of the last 10 years. Suitable measures would be taken in this regard.
Petitioner’s counsel referred to the Supreme Court judgment in TN Godavarman Thirumulpad vs Union of India and Others, which sets out comprehensive principles and directions for the conservation and effective management of National Tiger Reserves across the country. These directions cover statutory requirements such as delineation of core and buffer areas, preparation of Tiger Conservation Plans, constitution of Steering Committees, adherence to NTCA tourism guidelines, strict regulatory regimes, human resource development and management, timely funding support, human-wildlife conflict management, green infrastructure development, and regulation of religious tourism.
The High Court noted that paragraph 50.3.3 of the apex court judgment summarises key directions, including filling vacancies in tiger reserves, which the Supreme Court identified as the biggest limiting factor in ensuring protection and scientific interventions. It observed that protection of flora and fauna is a matter of planetary interest beyond public interest. It expected the Central and state governments to work in unison on conservation, protection and vaccination of wild cats in accordance with the Supreme Court directions.
The matter has been listed for the week commencing September 21, to enable the respondents to file their replies and update the court on vaccination progress and steps to prioritise filling vacancies at all levels in the tiger reserves. The court directed that necessary action be taken in an affirmative manner before the next date of hearing.
(IANS)
