A division bench of Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Alok Singh of the Uttarakhand High Court has ordered that no wild animals, including tigers, leopards and panthers, shall be declared man-eater/rouge and killed in the Uttarakhand.
Bench also directed the Centre to formulate the National Forest Policy aiming on forest management, conservation and sustainable development.
Uttarakhand High Court issued the following directions:
Union of India is directed to formulate National Forest Policy aiming on forest management, conservation and sustainable development also to maintain and increase forest covers and notify the same within a period of six months as per preamble and guidelines framed by United Nations Conference on Environment and Development also called Rio de Janeiro Declaration/ Earth Summit/Forest Principles. The National Forest policy must integrate with other economic policies.
Union of India is directed to declare 10 Kms. of Eco Sensitive Zone around Jim Corbett National Park, other National Parks and Sanctuaries throughout the State of Uttarakhand within a period of six months. Till then, no fresh 89 construction shall be undertaken by any person/institution within the radius of 10 Kms. of Jim Corbett National Park and other National Parks throughout the State of Uttarakhand. No new road shall be constructed through Jim Corbett National Park, National Parks and Sanctuaries in the State of Uttarakhand.
No wild animals, including tigers, leopards and panthers, shall be declared man-eater/rouge and killed in entire State of Uttarakhand. Dead body of wild animal shall not be displayed in print media, electronic media, including television. Henceforth, the wild animal, who poses threat to human life, should be captured alive by using tranquilizer gun in the presence of Veterinary Doctor. Captured wild animal shall be thereafter released in nearby forest/jungle or alternatively, can be kept in zoo temporarily and thereafter, be released in its own habitat.
No private hunter shall be engaged by the State Government to kill wild animals.
State Government is further directed to constitute a committee comprising of the head of Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, and Principal Secretary, Forest, State of Uttarakhand, to save following endangered species of plants in Uttarakhand within three weeks: Aconitum heterophyllum, Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Alpinia galangal, Coptis teeta, Nardostachys grandiflora, Podophyllum hexandrum, Panax pseudo-ginseng, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Dioscorea deltoidea, Angelica glauca, Allium stracheyi, Podophyllum hexandrum, Nardostachys grandiflora, Aconitum spp., Picrorhiza kurrooa, Saussurea lappa and Dactylorhiza hatagirea.
State Government is directed to provide sufficient funds to prevent and control the forest fires in the all the coming financial years.
Gujjars, who have encroached upon the forest land, be evicted within a period of one year from today.
