SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

Before:- Dr. A.S. Anand, R.C. Lahoti and K.G. Balakrishnan, JJ.

Writ Petn. (Civil) No. 47 of 1998. D/d. 10.7.2000.

Navin M. Raheja - Petitioner

Versus

U.O.I. and others - Respondent

For the Petitioner :- Narender Safaya, Randhir Jain and Pankaj Kumar, Advocates.

For the Respondent :- Altaf Ahmad, A.S.G., ADN Rao, S.K. Dwivedi and P. Parmeshwaran, Advocates.

For the State of Rajasthan :- Sushil Kumar Jain, A.A.G., A. Mishra and Ms. Anjali Doshi, Advocates.

For the State of Meghalaya :- Ranjan Mukherjee, Adv.

For the State of Manipur :- K.H. Nobin Singh, Advocate.

For the State of Goa and West Bengal :- Mr. A. Subhashini, Advocate.

For the State of Arunachal Pradesh :- Anil Shrivastav, Advocate.

For the Kerala :- G. Prakash, Advocate.

For the State of Gujarat and Mizoram :- Ms. H. Wahi, Advocate.

For the State of Sikkim :- Brijender Chahar, Ms. Jyoti Chahar and Ashok Mathur, Advocates.

For the State of Bihar :- Kumar Rajesh Singh and B.B. Singh, Advocates.

For the State of Assam :- Shakil Ahmad Syed and Shujat Hussain, Advocates.

For the State of Haryana :- Mahabir Singh, Advocate.

For the State of Maharashtra :- S.V. Deshpande, Advocate.

For the State of Negaland :- R. Rahim, Kailash Vasdev, Sudhanshu Tripathi, R.B. Misra, K. Kiran, Sanjeev Puri and N. Ganpathy, Advocates.

For the State of M.P. :- Satish K. Agnihotri, Advocate.

For the State T.N. :- A. Mariarputham, Ms. Aruna Mathur and Anurag D. Mathur, K.K. Rai, C.S.S. Rao, Advocates.

For the State of A.P. :- Anil Kumar Tandale, Advocate.

Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, Section 1 - Wild life protection - Protection of tiger population - Death of 12 tigers in Zoo - High power committee deputed by central Government to submit report - Larger issues of protection of tiger population, not only in forest but also in the Zoos also to be considered - Report be placed before court - Matter adjourned for three weeks.

[Para 2]

JUDGMENT

Dr. A.S. Anand, R.C. Lahoti, J. - While this Court has been monitoring the case for taking effective steps to save the population of Tigers from extinction and to curb the menace of poaching, our attention has been drawn to a recent tragedy in which 12 Tigers are reported to have died in the Zoo at Nandan Kanan (State of Orissa). That is a matter of concern. Mr. Altaf Ahmed, learned Additional Solicitor General submits, on instructions, that the Central Government is seized of this position and has already deputed a high powered team to Nandan Kanan. The team is expected to submit the resort by the 15th of this month.

2. We may have to consider the larger issue of protection of Tiger population, not only in the Forests but also in the Zoos where they are in capative custody. The examination of the report of the Team deputed by the Central Government to Nandan Kanan, in that case would have a great bearing. We, accordingly, adjourn the matter by three weeks. Copy of the report and the ATRs. based thereon, shall be filed by the learned Additional Solicitor General in this Court in the meanwhile. The same shall be supported by the affidavits of Mr. S. C. Sharma. Additional Inspector General (Wildlife). List after three weeks.

Order accordingly.