A bench supervised by Chief Justice of India Bobde conceded African Cheetahs to India in suitable habitat. The National Tiger Conservative Authority (NTCA) gave an application before the Supreme Court, seeking permission to enable Cheetahs introduced in India. After understanding the application they decided to establish a committee consisting former director Wildlife India, Ranjit Singh, Director-General of Wildlife India, Dhananjay Mohan, DIG of Wildlife, Ministry of Environment and Forest. They have to guide NTCA, where they will introduce the animal in the country which needs to be addressed within four months and monitoring will be done by the Bench comprising of Chief Justice SA Bobde, Justices BR Gavi and Surya Kant. Before introducing the animal in the country, an adequate survey needs to be done with the discretion of NTCA. Alongside, it has been maintained by the authority that the introduction will be on an experimenting basis to analyse, whether they can adjust to the climate of India or not.
Previously, The Central Government of India did seek permission from the Apex Court to introduce the Cheetah in India, where they said that it was incorrect to judge Cheetah as a foreign animal. There are traces of Cheetahs habitat from the Empire of Mughals and the Wildlife Institute of India have identified sanctuary which includes Kuno and Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh and area of Shahgarh in Rajasthan. The report which was submitted by a committee of Wildlife Institute gave a reason to allow Cheetahs to stay in Kuno as habitat has improved and relocation of Twenty-four Villages will be required and other places are monitored by the Institute. There were three Asiatic Cheetahs which was shot by Maharaja Ramanuj Pratap Singh Deo of Surguja in 1947, a man noted for killing 1360 tigers. This plan was proposed during the regime of UPA-II Government in the year 2010 where they noted that India last spotted a cheetah dead in the year 1947 and confirmation of extinction was made by the Government in 1952. The case by NTCA is decade long but the Court had rejected the permission in 2013, as they were considered foreign species. Further, the Authority said that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has given no objection for the translocation process, and they have agreed to cooperate in Trans locating the animals.
Key-Features:-
- NTCA filed the plea for the first time in the year 2010.
- Top Court in its decision said they aren’t against the policy of NTCA.
- Madhya Pradesh Government has shown admissibility to introduce Cheetah in Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Animal was declared extinct in the year 1952.
- Intervention application was filed by the Government in this year to introduce the animal in India.
Edited by J. Madonna Jephi
Approved & Published – Sakshi Raje
