SC refuses to stay Centre’s notice declaring monkeys, nilgai, wild boars vermin

A vacation bench of justice AK Goel and justice AM Khanwilkar asked the petitioners — animal welfare boards and rights activist — to raise their concerns with the Centre.

“You make the representations. They will consider and take a decision. The authority is with the central government,” the bench said, setting a July 15 deadline — the next date of hearing – for the government.

The petitioners had on June 15 asked the court to quash the three notices that declared nilgai (blue bulls), monkeys and wild boars as vermin in Bihar, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, respectively.

The Centre’s decisions to classify — on state governments’ request – the three animals as vermin put the spotlight back on conservation challenges in India where incidents of man-animal conflict are rising as wildlife habitat shrinks.

Starting December 1, the environment ministry has issued three notifications. The most recent was on May 24 for some districts of Himachal Pradesh.

@Agency report.