SC: Must find best way to resolve man-animal conflict

New Delhi, July 30 The Supreme Court on Thursday said a solution must be found to mitigate the animal-human conflict without killing animals or destruction of crops.

The apex court issued notice to state governments on permission given for killing of large number blue bulls (Nilgai) to stop the destruction of crops.

A bench comprising Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and Justices A.S. Bopanna and V.Ramasubramanian asked the state governments and the petitioner, Biju Janata Dal MP Anubhav Mohanty, to devise a solution to the problem.

The Chief Justice noted that both should be avoided neither killing the animals nor destruction of crops was an option. "We must find how best animal-human conflict can be controlled without killing of animals or destruction of crops," observed the bench.

The petitioner had contended that the state governments give permission for killing of blue bulls, which resulted in shooting down as many as 50 animals in a day. The bench observed that it will take this petition along with the other petition on the brutal killing of an elephant with explosives in pineapple.

Mohanty had moved the apex court seeking action and direction challenging the practice of rewarding wild animal killing in the country and sought directions against the indiscriminate killing of wild animals.

Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, representing Mohanty, contended before the bench that the presence of humans in these areas (wildlife areas) creates problems and encroaching in the area also creates problems.

The petition claimed that many state governments like Bihar, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala have financially incentivized the killing of wild animals such as blue bulls, Rhesus Macaque, wild Boar etc.

"Not only do animals and children suffer because of these violent actions, our farmers also incur heavy losses due to inaction of the governments. By expediting financial compensation for crop damage, we must support our food givers," said the plea.

The petition was filed in response to the death of a child and several animals after practices such as snares, explosives, bomb baits, poison baits were reported to kill wild animals.

( With inputs from IANS )