Fauna Should Also Be Preserved To Maintain Ecological Balance: Jharkhand High Court Takes Suo Moto Cognizance Of Elephant Deaths

The Jharkhand High Court has taken suo moto cognizance of two elephant deaths in the state and has subsequently sought a response from the government in the matter.

A Bench of Chief Justice Dr. Ravi Ranjan and Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad on Friday took note of "a very disturbing news published in the Daily Hindi Newspaper dated 09.09.2021 (Hindustan) about the death of an elephant calf, that too, within a period of 10 days second death has occurred".

The Court remarked that it was duty of the Forest Guards and the Range Officers to guard not only the forest but also the animals for which the staffing pattern to that effect had been made.

It was further observed that even though the elephant calf reported to have died 3-4 days ago, nobody was aware about the death which suggested about the functioning of the officers of the Forest Department within the State of Jharkhand.

"It appears to us that the aforestation programme by large was restricted to reclaiming, conserving and developing flora, however, though the flora is required to be conserved and developed simultaneously fauna is also required to be reclaimed and preserved by taking necessary steps so that ecological balance is maintained."

The Court found it very disturbing that such an incident would go unnoticed as the staffing pattern in the department of Forest and Environment in the State of Jharkhand consisted of Forest Guard, Rangers and then Divisional Forest Officers and thereafter, other higher hierarchy to control them.

Accordingly, the Secretary, Forest and Environment, Government of Jharkhand; Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Jharkhand; Chief, Wild Life Warden, Government of Jharkhand and Divisional Forest Officer of the concerned Division were directed to remain present before Court through video conferencing on the next date of hearing.

The matter will now be taken up on September 16.

Cause Title: Court on its own motion v. State of Jharkhand and Others

Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan along with Counsel Piyush Chitresh were present for the State.

Click here to Download the Order.