The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the Centre’s response on a PIL plea seeking formation of a committee of experts to review environment and wildlife protection laws in the wake of the recent culling of nilgai and elephants, which were declared as vermin by the government.
A Bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal issued notices to the Centre and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, seeking their replies within two weeks. The plea has sought a direction to the Centre to provide devices, developed by Indian Agricultural Research Institute, to farmers to keep away vermin including nilgai, elephants and wild boars, instead of killing them. The plea, filed by Salek Chand Jain, said the Constitution says State shall endeavour to protect and improve environment to safeguard forest and wildlife and alleged that the National Board for Wildlife has failed to discharge its duties. — PTI
