Nagpur: Disappointed over failure of all authorities to protect the Sarus crane species in Vidarbha, the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court on Wednesday directed the Centre and state to prepare a joint action plan for preservation and conservation of the birds in Gondia, Chandrapur and Bhandara.
Adjourning the hearing on a suo Motu PIL (No2/2021) over the dwindling habitat of the world’s tallest flying bird and the challenges faced in its conservation and protection till January 27, a division bench comprising justices Sunil Shukre and Anil Pansare, asked both to submit the plan within two months.
While holding a special hearing at the judges’ conference hall, the bench told respondents to constitute ‘Sarus Conservation Committees’ for each district where the bird has a presence.
The panel would be headed by the collector while the zilla parishad chief executive officer (CEO) would be its member secretary. Deputy conservator of forests, executive engineer of the irrigation department, district superintendent of agriculture and one representative of SEWA in all three districts would be the other members.
The judges directed the respondents to immediately start the exercise of identifying the wetlands wherever Sarus is found and notifying them in accordance with ‘Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017’ and submit a report in two months.
“We direct the respondents to carry out a detailed survey of Sarus in three districts. The respondents clarified the issue of ban imposed by the Central government upon certain preparations of insecticides and pesticides, including phorate. A comprehensive plan for their radio tagging be prepared and sanctioned by the state at the earliest within three months. The bird be included in the “Bio-diversity Register” of the concerned places immediately, as we find that it fulfills the criteria in terms of the provisions made in the ‘Biological Diversity Act, 2002’,” the HC said.
The court added the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MOEFCC), Bhandara collector, its ZP CEOs along with that of Chandrapur as new respondents.
The Sarus conservation panel would have power to invite officers of other departments for consultation and also seek help from different sources – governmental and private – for the purpose of redressal of the issues pertaining to the species. It would also have the power to visit any place where the presence of birds was noticed and get it inspected through members or authorized officers and take such action as may be necessary for preservation and conservation of birds within the four corners of law.
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