A Division Bench comprising of Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice Subhasis Dasgupta of the Calcutta High Court on Thursday took Suo Motu cognizance of the issue of unnatural death of Elephants, Bisons and other wild animals, birds, reptiles, amphibians etc. in North Bengal during the past few months.
The Court asserted that while there could be reasons attributable to behaviour of animals in the jungles, more than 60% elephant deaths in critically important areas as like Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts were attributable to electrocution.
Considering the rise in illegal poaching incidents since the lockdown, the court opined that it was important for the judiciary to look into matters relating to safety of forest and wildlife. Apart from this the risk to animal life in the forests when they come in conflict with the movement of trains also needs to be considered.
Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of West Bengal and others have been impleaded as respondent in this matter. The Bench has directed the Chief Wildlife Warden, West Bengal to place a short report on the situation as of now in all the areas.
